The Hidden Costs of Not Understanding Sustainability

Many organisations say they care about sustainability.
They set up ESG committees. Mention the SDGs on slide decks. Maybe even publish a report.

But beneath all that, there’s a quiet risk hiding in plain sight:
Most people in the organisation don’t really understand what sustainability means.

They’re not sure how it connects to their role.
They avoid the topic in meetings because it feels like jargon.
They miss opportunities to reduce risk or create value—simply because no one gave them the language or tools to see it.

And that misunderstanding?
It comes at a cost.

Here’s what we mean:

A procurement officer might unknowingly choose a supplier with environmental red flags.
A project lead might miss a chance to design for efficiency and circularity.
A marketing team might make a bold claim without real substance—and end up in greenwashing territory.

None of this is malicious. It’s just the fallout of vague understanding.
And when these blind spots pile up across departments, they don’t just lead to reputational risk.
They affect cost, compliance, trust, and long-term resilience.

So what can you do?

Start by making sure everyone has the same baseline understanding.
Not just the sustainability team. Everyone.

When people understand what sustainability really means—and how it shows up in their work—they start to make better decisions.

They ask sharper questions.
They flag risks earlier.
They spot opportunities others miss.

That’s the kind of culture change that moves the needle.

If you're looking for a simple, structured way to get there,
we've built a self-paced programme that helps teams make sense of sustainability—without the jargon.

Because not knowing? That’s getting expensive.