Anti-ESG sentiment is loud right now and for some organisations it’s translating into genuine pressure to pull back. But for sustainability professionals, navigating that kind of noise isn’t new. The work has always had to justify itself and, if anything, the current moment is pushing the industry toward a more honest and effective framing of what sustainability actually is.
Because at its core, it was never just about values. It’s about building businesses that are efficient, resilient and equipped for the long term. Reducing emissions often means reducing waste. Lighter packaging means lower freight costs. Stronger supply chains mean less exposure to risk. The environmental and commercial case have always pointed in the same direction. The backlash is, in many ways, an opportunity to make that argument more clearly.
“It’s our role to ensure that our companies are in business for the long term,” says Rebecca Loch, Chair of the Drinks Association Sustainability Council. “We need to mitigate risks, ensure long-term resilience and maximise efficiency. So we keep doing what we’re doing.” For people working in sustainability, she says, the noise is nothing new, it’s the work that matters and the work hasn’t changed.
The priorities that will shape the year
The Sustainability Council walked into its February strategy day with all of that on the table and walked out with a clearer, sharper plan for 2026 than ever before.
The strategy session confirmed that the purpose and focus areas of Climate and Circularity are still as relevant today as they were at the Council’s inception two years ago. To support the strategy, the Council has a pipeline of initiatives that support the focus areas and a commitment to continue to engage and educate our members on relevant best practice and improvement opportunities on topic.
The Council has plans underway for educational comms, including case studies on topics like scope 3 carbon emissions, lightweighting packaging, closure recyclability & removal of hard to recycle components. Stay tuned for upcoming sustainability webinars.
Built to last, built to share
Perhaps what’s most striking about the Sustainability Council two years on is its consistency. The membership hasn’t changed, if anything it’s grown, and the sense of shared purpose that brought the group together in the first place is still very much intact. Facilitator Tess Ariotti noticed it from the outside: “You all show up with passion and collaborate with rigour and reason.”
“What we’re really aiming to achieve is impact beyond what we as individual Council members can achieve for the industry,” explains Rebecca.