Thinkers360 2024 Predictions for Sustainability are member-sourced from our opt-in B2B thought leader and influencer community with 100M+ followers on social media combined. The 2024 Predictions for Sustainability are part of a series to provide actionable insights for business and technology executives.
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We asked a selection of our Thinkers360 global thought leaders and influencers about their predictions for Sustainability in 2024. Here’s what they told us…
What are your predictions for Sustainability in 2024?
In 2024, AI-driven supply chain optimisation will become a cornerstone in climate action. By leveraging IoT, big data and machine learning, companies will significantly reduce waste and emissions, paving the way for a more sustainable and efficient global supply chain. Blockchain technology will see increased adoption in 2024, especially in tracking and verifying carbon emissions in supply chains. This will enhance transparency and accountability in corporate sustainability efforts, aligning with the growing demand for environmental integrity in business operations. Decentralised energy systems, such as microgrids and solar-powered operations, will gain traction in supply chains in 2024. This shift towards localised, renewable energy sources will not only reduce carbon footprints but also increase resilience against climate-induced disruptions. And sustainability will move beyond being a separate initiative and become an integral part of core business strategies in 2024. Companies will embed sustainability principles into every aspect of their operations, from product design to customer engagement, recognizing it as essential for long-term success.
– Tom Raftery, Technology Evangelist, Podcast Host, Thought Leader & Influencer at Tom Raftery
In 2024, anticipate a significant sustainability transformation driven by the global response to the 2023 climate chaos. Expect employee activism to shape policies within Fortune 500 companies, addressing climate challenges across industries. Keep an eye out for AI-powered green ledgers, promoting a sustainable future for businesses by integrating green public procurement and green research and development into the big picture. Additionally, watch for major eco-friendly repair services from global Fortune 200 manufacturers, meeting the rising consumer demand for transparency and durable, eco-conscious products.
– Helen Yu, Founder & CEO at Tigon Advisory Corp.
This year we will see the long-awaited and long needed focus on accountability and metrics. New laws governing what is reported and how it is reported will accelerate the integration of sustainability metrics into business metrics. Larger companies being compelled to report will also have the impact on smaller companies that serve as suppliers to those larger companies. And in addition to driving investment decisions, management teams will leverage the full value of these material metrics to run a smarter, more nimble business.
– John Friedman , THOUGHT LEADERSHIP & INNOVATION: Author of “Managing Sustainability: First Steps to First Class”
be honest, while pure investment in sustainability spending has declined in most surveys, when you talk to cutting-edge companies it is still top of mind as a key effort, as execs work behind those proverbial close doors to master how they will be environmental leaders. Still, they are seeking to figure out, even if ever so slowly how they can be more transparent, compliant, and leverage the power of good (AI) data to track and trace their every movement.
–Peggy Smedley , President/Editorial Director at Specialty Publishing Media
We are caught in a maelstrom of intent but poorly matched with measurable actions. 2024 will illustrate this tension between words and a plethora of still unstructured actions around sustainability. Most CEOs still talk more than they act. Most companies don’t dig deep into their supply chains and change processes to make a difference. Something needs to radically change in 2024 or we continue where we have been in 2023 to talk more than we structure actions.
– Michael Gale, Chief Marketing Officer at Wind River
Technological advances will facilitate new insights and accurate measurement of sustainability. Big data, automation, artificial intelligence, big data, and platformization will drive sustainability measurement, investment, and transparency. Investor demand will make sustainability performance essential for securing capital, both debt and equity. Investment decisions will be data-driven with precise impact measurement allowing investors to monitor the progress of their investments toward sustainability outcomes. Consumers will demand that companies have sustainability strategies. We will see AI algorithms using social media data to provide insights into the positive or negative effects of a company’s actions on society. Web 3.0, will be the infrastructure that connects social and environmental values between companies and people (such as green bonds, social impact bonds, company loyalty schemes, and carbon accounting).
– Dr Jane Thomason , Chair Of The Board Of Directors at Kasei Holdings
In 2024, I expect consumer preference for sustainable products, and policies like carbon pricing and extended producer responsibility, to drive traditional sustainability approaches. Increased funding and incentives for research and innovation will also contribute significantly to this progress. The waste management, energy, transportation, and finance industries will likely lead in sustainability innovation, although solutions will tend to focus more on technology and the environment than structural change and social inequities. Meanwhile, grassroots movements that address sustainability holistically and systemically will continue to quietly emerge, preparing for a tipping point that necessitates their broader adoption. The convergence of Web3, peer production, user-owned networks, and composable markets will lay the foundation for new, equitable forms of value creation. Additionally, the rising awareness of multi-capital approaches, regenerative economics, and bioregions will emerge as cornerstones of environmental stewardship and community resilience.
–David Kish, Ecosystem Advisor at Tata Consultancy Services
The advancement of AI in our workplace and daily lives will increase intelligence, awareness, collaboration, and problem solving in humans allowing us to create functional solutions across all industries. Intelligence in respect to humans is determined greatly on its ability to adapt to the environment surrounding them. AI’s ability to complete ordinary tasks and provide information will allow us to more frequently use our natural sense of awareness, creativity, and curiosity which is the foundation of intelligence. This will allow us to create and implement true innovative solutions in the environment around us therefore providing a more sustainable world moving forward.
–Sean Melancon , President & Founder at CAMCRETE
In 2024, I predict that more companies will embrace sustainability for various reasons. First, our younger generations expect to work for companies with similar values, expecting their employers to drive positive environmental and societal impact. Second, organizations with a sustainability focus will enhance their brand reputation and customer loyalty. Third, businesses will generally see an improvement in their bottom line as they improve their operational efficiency. Embracing a triple bottom line is not only the right thing to do for society but also necessary for organizations’ long-term success and resilience. Intelligent leaders increasingly understand they must adopt sustainable strategies to remain competitive.
– Joe Sprangel ,Founder & Principal Consultant at Emmanuel Strategic Sustainability LLC
In 2024, sustainability is poised to witness accelerated momentum as global imperatives for environmental stewardship and climate action intensify. Anticipated trends include a heightened emphasis on circular economy initiatives and carbon neutrality, with businesses embracing regenerative practices and supply chain transparency. Furthermore, innovations in sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, and eco-friendly materials are likely to gain significant traction. Governments, corporations, and consumers are expected to align more closely in driving systemic change, fostering a collective commitment to mitigate climate impact and prioritize a sustainable future. In essence, 2024 stands at the threshold of a crucial turning point, signifying a decisive transition toward a future characterized by increased sustainability and resilience.
– Uganeeswary Suparmaniam , Lead Researcher, Green Fuel Technologist, Sustainability Advocate, and Consultant at PETRONAS University of Technology, Malaysia.
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Sustainability and artificial intelligence are two global trends that are mutually reinforcing and will increasingly continue to do so in 2024. On the one hand, sustainability goals set the international agenda, and on the other hand, artificial intelligence can make a major contribution to data management, preventive measures and more efficient facilities. The combination of both elements, sustainability and artificial intelligence, will thus continue to transform our daily lives, opening up multiple possibilities for innovation, exploration and development, which can result in a positive impact and sustainable value for people, communities and the environment.
– Manuel Ancizu, Commercial Program Manager – Global Wind Energy Projects at Siemens Gamesa.
Looking forward into 2024 and beyond the future is regenerative, nature-positive and interconnected. As we question how the climate and ecological crisis has of late become predominantly a carbon agenda and in turn has become, for many, a blinkered, net-zero agenda: We are seeing high-level imperative messaging and actions to align climate agendas with nature-positive agendas (for example, the biodiversity global framework endorsed at COP28 through the joint statement on climate nature and people) We can see the shift towards interconnected and integrated systems, driven through ESG, where the headline vision is moving beyond only reducing organisational or project impacts to pursuing a real positive impact across interconnected environmental and social aspects. Increasingly we see nature or nature representation at board level (in built environment design, cosmetics and banking sectors) through chief nature officers (CNO) or directors responsible for nature, acting as the nature-positive conscience for organisational visions and decisions. We can see a shift away from sustainability as being predominantly an ‘outer’ technical and standard checklist towards a ‘who we are’ as individuals from an inner regenerative development perspective. A shift from the climate ambition represented in numbers and data to a climate vulnerability expressed in feelings and connections However, we do need to see the shift to more informed climate literacy and ecology awareness as a core mandatory curriculum subject for schools, universities and businesses alike.
– Martin Brown, Vice President at Living Future Europe
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