The 2026 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) revealed something interesting for sustainability professionals: “Many of the innovations with the greatest potential for environmental benefit are not positioning themselves as sustainability-first.” 

Noam Freshman, a strategist at Carol Cone On Purpose, observed this subtle shift in a think piece for 3BL’s media division, TriplePundit, this month.  “This year, the number of booths explicitly dedicated to sustainable innovation grew from 20 to 38. That might sound modest, but rather than viewing this as a shortfall, it may signal something more meaningful,” he wrote. “Sustainability is no longer being treated as a standalone category. It’s woven into how products, systems, and infrastructure are designed from the start.
”

[MORE: Harnessing AI for Social Good Starts With Inclusive Data] Products like a satellite farm monitor and an AI humanoid that can reduce workplace injuries carry clear benefits for society and the environment, even though they weren’t marketed that way.  For sustainability professionals, this offers a critical insight: “The next decade of environmental progress will likely be shaped less by standalone climate technologies and more by intelligence embedded across systems,” Freshman wrote. 

This isn’t just happening in tech. Across sectors, the companies that integrate sustainability across business functions see better brand reputation, improved employee recruitment and more effective boards, according to 2025 research from EY. 

On 3BL’s news feed, we now see our corporate clients going beyond the umbrella of traditional sustainability to share how they’re using their core competencies to make people’s lives better across the board — from advancing early cancer detection using AI, to helping consumers save money on healthy food, protect themselves from fraud and keep kids’ digital footprints private. 

This shows a clear upleveling in sophistication, from table-stakes messages about recycling and donations to making positive social benefit a normal course of doing business and bringing products and services to market.  But only about a quarter of the most forward-thinking companies are integrating sustainability and corporate responsibility objectives across their operations today, according to EY’s research, meaning most still leave these opportunities dwindling in a silo. 

To learn more about how 3BL can help you break down silos to unlock your full storytelling potential, get in touch with the form below. 

Read the full story on TriplePundit here.  Photo credit: Florian Schindler/Unsplash+

Increasingly, Americans report prioritizing sustainability when shopping. But as sustainability topics become politicized and purchasing power is squeezed thin by inflation, will that trend hold true for this year’s holiday shopping season? 

The answer makes a big difference for U.S. businesses. Holiday shopping in November and December accounts for nearly 20% of annual retail sales in the United States, including half of yearly sales for small businesses. 

People pay attention to where all of that holiday spending goes (or doesn’t), and recent surveys suggest a good chunk is set to be spent with sustainability in mind. 

Nearly 68% of Americans say they’re willing to pay a little more for sustainable products, according to survey data released last week by 3BL partner Ceres and Northwind Climate, a slight increase from 2o24. The majority of more than 2,000 Americans surveyed said their interest in buying sustainable products has “grown more positive” over recent years. 

Still, around half said they recently considered a sustainable product alternative when shopping, but ultimately decided against purchasing it — mostly due to price or perceived product quality. “It costs too much” was the difference-making factor for nearly 60% of respondents, unsurprising as more Americans find themselves cash-strapped.

But that doesn’t mean people are priced out of caring about sustainability, or even that they’re unwilling to spend when they see quality and values align, surveys show. 

What’s driving decisions at the holiday dinner table? 

Even as costs climb, consumers are willing to spend on quality. For example, flavor (46%) outweighs price (30%) as the primary driver in holiday meal planning, according to a November survey from DuraPlas, indicating that consumers will still spend the money if they believe the experience and tradition are worth it.

That increasingly includes sustainability: 29% of respondents said they’re willing to pay more for “premium, sustainable ingredients” for their holiday meals — nearly double the rate seen in 2023. 

The secondhand shift driving holiday shopping.

While some consumers view cost as a barrier to purchasing sustainable products, their quest for value is also driving a boom in secondhand shopping. Shoppers plan to dedicate nearly 40% of their holiday budgets to secondhand gifts this year, seeking better value and unique items, according to the resale platform ThredUp’s annual holiday report. 

Interestingly, nearly half of consumers (47%) plan to resell their own used items to fund their holiday shopping — achieving a sustainable outcome even as the motivation is largely financial. Two-thirds of Americans (including 80% of millennials) also say they’d be happy to receive secondhand gifts this holiday season. 

What does all this mean for brands? 

These findings align with 2024 3BL research — in which over half of U.S. consumers said sustainability increased in importance as a purchase driver year-over-year. 

“This issue is almost universally important to consumers,” Mike Johnston, data product leader at 3BL’s research partner Glow, told TriplePundit last year. “As the cost of living starts to reduce for certain cohorts of the population — and it will — those that have ignored sustainability while it’s been growing in importance in the background will be playing catch-up. And you don’t want to be in that position with something that is going to continue to be of increasing importance to how customers make their decisions.”

So, how can brands attract attention from the growing number of people seeking out sustainability attributes as they shop? 

It’s probably less complicated than communicators think — and it doesn’t involve chasing the latest buzzword or explaining every detail of what makes your product or service sustainable. Consumers want to know how a product helps the planet, but they also want to know what it can do for them and to make their lives better. 

“There are ways to discuss sustainability in an accurate and informative way, without falling prey to ‘greenhushing’ or retreating to the sidelines,” TriplePundit reporter Andrew Kaminsky wrote in 3BL’s 2024 report. “It’s fairly straightforward, but it’s something that brands and their marketing teams struggle to do effectively.”

For example, the Ceres and Northwind Climate survey indicates that technical terms like “Scope 3 emissions” or “Net Zero” can feel distant to the average shopper. Instead, consumers respond best to concrete, practical phrases like “makes products last longer” or “cutting waste saves money.”

Shoppers aren’t looking for a sermon. They are looking for efficiency. If a brand can prove that “sustainable” translates to “better quality,” they are much more likely to reach people. 

To learn more about how to reach consumers with sustainability messaging — and why greenhushing isn’t the way to go, check out 3BL’s 2025 research: “Sustainability Silence is Undermining Trust.”

 A Minnesota refinery published a story about worker well-being. An energy company in Georgia announced a utility assistance program. A logistics company responded to a hurricane. On the surface, these stories have nothing in common: different industries, different initiatives, different goals. But these three companies all discovered the same truth: No matter what impact you’re trying to create, you’re ultimately affecting human health, and that’s a story stakeholders care about. Look closer at how they told these stories, and a pattern emerges. The refinery didn’t just talk about safety compliance; it framed the story around employee health outcomes. The energy company didn’t position its program as rate assistance; it explicitly called it a health equity intervention. The logistics company didn’t just ship supplies; it delivered medical aid and mental health support.

Health Emerges as a Universal Language for Communicating Corporate Value

When we analyzed the close to 400 featured news releases published across the 3BL network in October 2025, we found the highest month-over-month growth in Health & Healthcare content. That’s no surprise — after all, October does bring Breast Cancer Awareness Month, World Mental Health Day, and the start of benefits enrollment season. What we didn’t expect was for the numbers to tell two completely different stories. The official count: About 12% of October’s content was categorized as “Health & Healthcare.”  The actual count: When we read through the stories, we found that nearly 37% of all content published through our network contained significant health angles. Meaning: Health-related content was three times more prevalent than its categorization suggested. So what? This is a signal that health continues to evolve from a sector-specific topic into something much bigger: a universal language for communicating corporate value.

Health Comms Reach a Tipping Point in October

Last month’s publishing is an ideal test case to see how organizations are talking about health, and how health implications and impacts are showing up in communications across topics. Here are three forces that converged: The calendar aligned perfectly. Breast Cancer Awareness Month coincided with World Mental Health Day (October 10) and Mental Health Awareness Week. Aflac transformed its headquarters with a giant checkered pattern to remind employees to “check for cancer.” The Mary Kay Ash Foundation announced $3 million in cancer research grants. MetLife’s global BeWell initiative connects employees to health and wellness resources, and others have launched preventive care campaigns. Nature didn’t cooperate with anyone’s timeline. Hurricane Melissa devastated the Caribbean, Hurricane Helene hit North Carolina and a typhoon struck Alaska, each disaster generating health-focused stories about how organizations were responding. Direct Relief alone appeared in multiple releases this month, partnering with other organizations in 3BL’s network to provide medical supplies, emergency funds, and support for healthcare infrastructure. ESG reporting has evolved. With health metrics increasingly expected in sustainability reports and investors asking pointed questions about employee well-being and community health impact, companies can no longer afford vague commitments and need concrete health outcomes to report.

Health Refuses to Stay in One Lane

When SCS Global Services launched its International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week campaign, was that environmental remediation or child health protection? Both. When energy companies in Gwinnett County, Georgia, implemented programs to reduce energy burdens, was that utility policy or health equity? Both. When Marathon Petroleum hosted a safety fair at its St. Paul Park refinery, was that governance compliance or occupational health improvement? Both. The distinction increasingly doesn’t matter — and that’s precisely the point. Consider how stakeholders actually process these stories. An investor reading about “reducing lead exposure in water systems” might intellectually understand the environmental benefit. But when the same initiative is framed as “protecting children from developmental health impacts,” the human consequence becomes immediately, viscerally clear. GP PRO’s hand hygiene survey illustrates this shift. Rather than framing the story around product innovation or research, they led with infection prevention and control, a concrete health outcome that resonates with healthcare professionals, facility managers, and consumers alike.  The organizations aren’t choosing between environmental and health framing; they’re using health as the translation layer that makes ecological and social impact immediately tangible.

Mental Health Crossed the Executive Threshold

The most significant October milestone wasn’t a product launch or a research study. It was something more subtle: where mental health conversations happened and who was having them.

• Aflac published a piece titled “Preventing Burnout and a Call to Action for Employers.” The author wasn’t a wellness coordinator or an anonymous HR representative, but an executive making a public call to action about employer responsibility for mental health.
• Kate Spade New York held its Fourth Annual Global Summit on women’s mental health. Rather than a one-time campaign or a response to a crisis, this is an institutionalized, leadership-level commitment to mental health as a permanent business priority.
• LG launched “Transparent Conversations,” a podcast on the importance of mental health among student-athletes. 
• AEG, an entertainment and sports venue company, hosted “The Burnout Effect” webinar during World Mental Health Week to help employees better understand and manage work-life pressures.
• Manufacturing companies, traditionally focused on physical safety, now explicitly include mental health in their Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) frameworks, the Inogen Alliance observed. 

The Pattern Beneath the Pattern

October publishing on our network reveals a pattern that most companies were unconsciously following. Companies didn’t necessarily decide to “do health messaging.” They were naturally gravitating toward the language that best conveyed their impact on employees and communities. While October 2025 is just a snapshot, the forces driving health-focused communication — from post-pandemic awareness to ESG pressure and stakeholder expectations — aren’t going away. Telling stories through the lens of health shows our audiences the true purpose behind these frameworks: whether our organizations are making human lives better.

Stay up to date on the latest impact stories from leading brands across our network, here.

3BL and TriplePundit’s data-backed reports traced the metrics, messages, and momentum driving corporate sustainability narratives.

From shifting consumer trust to the rise of individual impact, 2025 has been a turning point for sustainability communications. Through bold, data-driven research, 3BL explored how public sentiment, corporate action, and storytelling intersect to shape reputation and real-world outcomes. Across the four reports released this year, 3BL captured the pulse of the moment. Revealing why staying silent on sustainability is riskier than ever, how personal conviction is driving the next wave of change, and what it takes for brands to earn genuine trust in a skeptical world.

The Big Thing Americans Agree On 
The study, conducted in January 2025, sheds light on shifting consumer expectations and the growing role of sustainability in shaping purchasing decisions and brand loyalty. 

• 73% of Americans believe their purchasing decisions can influence corporate behavior on social and environmental issues. 
• While 65% of Gen Z and 64% of millennials lead in prioritizing sustainability, the study found that only 5% of Gen X and Baby Boomers consider sustainability completely unimportant.

Download here.

2025 is the Year of the Individual 
There is a striking trend shaping the sustainability and social impact landscape in 2025: the growing role of individual action.

• Political and Generational Shifts: Republicans (22%) favor business-led impact, while Democrats (25%) lean on government. Gen Z trusts institutions, while Baby Boomers (38%) believe in individual action but show skepticism (26%).
• Business Priorities: Consumers expect action on employee well-being (56%), sustainable packaging (54%), and ecosystem restoration (49%).

Download here. 

Say Less, Risk More: Sustainability Silence Is Undermining Trust
This report draws on media analysis and original polling to expose a growing crisis of confidence in corporate sustainability claims. The findings signal a clear warning: greenhushing may feel safe, but it’s undermining public trust and putting market share on the line.

• A Decline in Corporate Voice: Media mentions of top U.S. companies tied to sustainability topics dropped nearly 10% in the first four months of 2025 compared to the same period last year.
• Trust Is Slipping: Nearly a quarter (23%) of consumers now say they “rarely” or “almost never” trust what companies say about their sustainability goals, up from just 15% in December 2023. 

Download here. 

Sustainable Companies Make More Money, But Does Anyone Trust Them?  T
his research shows that companies recognized among the 100 Best Corporate Citizens aren’t just doing good, they’re performing better in the market too. From January 2022 to July 2025, these companies’ annual returns were 2.2% higher than the S&P 500. Even more impressive, repeat honorees generated a cumulative return of 106%, compared to just 37% for the S&P 500. Excluding outliers, the portfolio still delivered 40% cumulative returns versus the S&P’s 36.6%
Download here. 

As the world gathers for Climate Week NYC 2025 through Sept. 28. the conversation around bold corporate climate action has never been more urgent. Since its launch in 2009 by Climate Group, Climate Week has become one of the largest global platforms for businesses, governments, and civil society to showcase solutions, set commitments, and accelerate the transition to a net-zero future. It serves as a crucial reminder that companies are not only stakeholders in the climate crisis but also key drivers of the solutions.

This year, the 100 Best Corporate Citizens list once again shines a light on companies demonstrating leadership in environmental and social impact. In the Climate Change pillar, 10 companies stand out for their efforts to measure, reduce, and report greenhouse gas emissions while embedding sustainability into their business strategies.

The Top 10 Companies in the Climate Change Pillar (2025)

1. Nasdaq, Inc. – Supporting transparency and accountability, Nasdaq is helping investors and companies align with sustainability goals.

2. Illumina, Inc. – A biotech leader, Illumina is advancing climate-smart operations while driving innovation in genomics that can support sustainable healthcare.

3. Kyndryl Holdings, Inc. – The IT services provider is building energy-efficient digital infrastructure and helping clients decarbonize.

4. Biogen Inc. – Biogen continues its track record of strong climate targets, including commitments to renewable energy and science-based reductions.

5. Molson Coors Beverage Company – From water stewardship to carbon reduction, Molson Coors is brewing sustainability into its business model.

6. Emerson Electric Co. – Emerson is providing energy-efficient technologies that support the global shift to clean industry.

7. Verizon Communications Inc. – With ambitious renewable energy procurement and electrification goals, Verizon is making telecom more climate-friendly.

8. Ingersoll Rand Inc. – Leading in capital goods, Ingersoll Rand develops sustainable industrial technologies that lower emissions across supply chains.

9. Jacobs Solutions, Inc. – Jacobs integrates climate resilience into infrastructure and urban planning projects worldwide.

10. CVS Health Corporation – Beyond healthcare delivery, CVS is embedding sustainability across its operations and logistics to shrink its carbon footprint.

Why This Matters at Climate Week

Corporate action remains central to meeting global climate targets. These companies show that integrating climate strategies into business is not just reputational — it drives innovation, efficiency, and resilience. As Climate Week NYC convenes leaders under the theme of “It’s Time”, the message is clear: addressing climate change requires urgency, collaboration, and accountability across all sectors.

By spotlighting the 100 Best Corporate Citizens’ Climate Change leaders, we celebrate not just individual achievements but also the collective momentum that makes events like Climate Week powerful catalysts for global action.

Setting the Stage: What Is Climate Week & Why It Matters More Than Ever

Over the years, it’s grown from a few dozen sessions to a sprawling week-long convergence of business leaders, policymakers, nonprofits, innovators, and climate activists. In 2023, for example, Climate Week NYC featured over 580 events, drew 6,500 attendees from nearly 100 countries, and claimed a media reach of 6.9 billion.

Also worth noting: Climate Week sits at a strategic intersection. It overlaps with the UN General Assembly, which means many heads of state and influential global leaders are already in New York. This adds leverage: discussions aren’t just theoretical — they dovetail with diplomatic, financial, and policy levers.

AI is transforming sustainability by powering climate tech, ESG strategies, and renewable energy—but its rising energy use poses new risks. Here’s how green AI can drive a sustainable future.

AI’s Role in Sustainability Today

Artificial intelligence is now central to the sustainability conversation. From climate tech to ESG reporting, AI is unlocking efficiencies across industries. But it also carries a massive energy footprint.

Data centers that power AI already consume around 415 TWh annually — about 1.5% of global demand — and could double by 2030 (Financial Times). In New York, new AI-powered facilities are straining the grid and raising electricity costs (Times Union).

This duality positions AI as both a sustainability challenge and solution.

Where AI Delivers Climate Impact

• Renewable energy optimization: AI forecasts energy demand and supply to keep grids stable—70% of energy firms already deploy it (Onix Systems).
• Sustainable agriculture: AI-powered drones and crop disease detection reduce pesticide use and food waste, showcased at CES 2025 (AP News).
• Climate monitoring: AI paired with satellite and sensor data is helping track emissions, deforestation, and methane leaks in real time (Deloitte/WSJ).
• Green materials discovery: Generative AI accelerates battery and electrolyte innovation, reshaping the clean-energy transition (Time).

These green AI applications highlight how technology can deliver sustainability gains that outweigh its carbon costs.

AI in ESG and Corporate Strategy

The organizations seeing the most progress are embedding AI directly into their ESG frameworks. Companies that strategically integrate AI report up to 10x greater success in meeting carbon-reduction targets (PMI).

PwC highlights four key areas where AI is reshaping ESG strategy:

1. Measuring and reducing carbon footprints.
2. Building resilient and transparent supply chains.
3. Accelerating renewable energy adoption.
4. Balancing growth with environmental stewardship (ESG Dive).

The Future: Regulating and Scaling Green AI

The sustainability of AI will depend on smart governance. As MIT and EY note, unchecked AI growth could undercut climate goals without sustainable AI design (MIT News, EY).

Emerging solutions include:

• AI regulation that enforces transparency on emissions and requires sustainable architectures (arXiv).
• Green AI systems that cut energy use by 25% and improve recycling and resource recovery (arXiv).

Why It Matters Now

AI is not the future—it’s here today. It powers climate modeling, improves waste management, and tracks biodiversity with unprecedented precision (Wikipedia).

But the paradox remains: AI can drain energy even as it drives solutions. The next phase of sustainability will hinge on how leaders, regulators, and innovators align AI’s potential with climate responsibility.

Daniel Blackman returns to What the…? to talk about rethinking connection, rebuilding trust, and engaging communities where they are.

In Episode 7 of 3BL’s What the…? video series, host Mary Mazzoni welcomes back Daniel Blackman, Founder of Renaissance94, for his second appearance on our series. This time, Blackman dives into why the sustainability space continues to miss the mark on real engagement and how practitioners can start to rebuild trust and connection across communities.

Full episode here. As sustainability messaging becomes increasingly politicized, Blackman pulls no punches on where the industry has gone wrong. “We’ve seen ESG, we’ve seen sustainability — these have become more about branding than about saving lives,” said Blackman. “It’s been more about branding than about engaging communities.” He emphasizes the importance of shifting the way communicators show up and speak to people beyond their usual circles. “We need to stop speaking at and over people. We need to speak to people where they are.” Key takeaways from the conversation:

• We’re talking — but not connecting. Sustainability professionals must meet communities where they are, both physically and emotionally, rather than delivering messages from afar or with a corporate filter.
• Access and infrastructure matter. Many of the communities most impacted by climate issues lack the infrastructure, like broadband or transportation, to even participate in the conversation.
• Communities want to be part of the solution. Every day, people, especially those directly affected by climate events, have valuable knowledge and lived experience. They should be seen as partners.

Click Here to Watch Episode 7 of What the…? About 3BL  3BL transforms impact and sustainability initiatives into business advantages. Since 2009, we’ve helped 1,500+ organizations — from Fortune 500s to NGOs — connect purpose with performance. Our proprietary platform delivers targeted distribution, strategic insights, and measurable analytics, while our media division TriplePundit provides solutions-focused journalism and brand storytelling support.

Disclosure and transparency are key terms for 2025, with recent changes and updates to reporting standards and different geographical regions issuing varying sets of guidelines, which can be challenging to navigate effectively, especially for those new to the space.

Also known as a “Transparency Statement”, “ESG Report”, and “Climate Related Risk Reporting”, the report essentially boils down to disclosing information on your company’s social impact initiatives and future goals and aims. Some tips to consider are;

✅ Consider using a “Double Materiality” Lens where you disclose how sustainability issues affect your business (financial materiality) and how your business affects the environment and society (impact materiality)

✅ Build trust by disclosing progress, not just goals. What’s been working and what initiatives need improvement

✅ Use case studies and employee feedback to demonstrate the data

✅ Include an executive summary and quotes to help show thought leadership in your industry

One key element in compiling this type of report is demonstrating that your company is aligned with leading frameworks and adhering to recent updates and guidelines. We wanted to put together a brief guide on some key frameworks to be aware of when compiling your report. 

💡Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) – An EU directive that mandates companies to report on their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance.

💡Environmental Management System (EMS) – A structured approach that helps businesses and organizations manage their environmental impacts and ensure compliance with environmental regulations.

💡 IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards – IFRS S1 and S2 are designed to provide a global baseline for sustainability-related disclosures by companies, aiming to improve comparability and decision-making for investors.

💡 Paris Agreement – A legally binding international treaty on climate change adopted in 2015, aiming to limit global temperature increase to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, with efforts to limit it to 1.5°C

💡 Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) – A global organization that helps businesses and financial institutions set ambitious emissions reduction targets that align with the latest climate science

These terms are taken from our Industry Glossary. You can find additional resources around reporting standards and disclosure by Forbes and CSO Futures.