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For years, two parallel arguments have shaped corporate approaches to sustainability. The moral case has emphasised that businesses have a duty to respect human rights and protect the planet simply because it is the right thing to do. Alongside it, the business case has underlined the risks avoided and opportunities gained when sustainability is integrated into core strategy.

The business case has always been compelling. From brand resilience to operational efficiency, from supply chain stability to attracting and retaining talent, the evidence is consistent: companies that act early on sustainability and human rights are better prepared for the future. Protecting reputation, adapting business models to new markets, and avoiding stranded assets are no longer abstract concepts but everyday realities. In practice, this translates into using resources more efficiently, preparing for regulatory change, preventing costly disruptions, and building a motivated workforce.

Momentum was building

This is not just theory. The shift has been measurable. In 2023, the proportion of executives who believed the business case was clear tripled compared to the year before (Capgemini Research Institute, A World in Balance 2023). More than half of organisations planned to increase sustainability investments, marking a significant shift from perceiving sustainability as a cost to recognising it as a source of value creation.

A changing landscape

And yet, just as momentum builds, new challenges arise. With some legislative frameworks being weakened, many internal champions for sustainability and human rights find themselves under pressure to justify their work in purely financial terms. The problem is that short-term ROI rarely reflects the full value of investing in people and planet.

At the same time, global volatility is redrawing the risk map for businesses. Labour rights disputes, climate-related migration, and community opposition to projects are increasingly frequent — and each of them has the potential to halt operations overnight.

The cost of inaction

In recent years, supply chains have been paralysed for months due to unsafe working conditions and social unrest. Major brands have been shut out of markets because of human rights concerns. Shareholder scrutiny of environmental and social risks has intensified, and reputational crises can quickly turn into financial ones.

This makes one thing clear: human rights safeguards are not just about avoiding reputational risk. They are about preventing operational paralysis, avoiding regulatory penalties, and protecting investments from becoming stranded in unstable contexts.

Why communications matter

A critical, and sometimes underestimated, dimension of the business case is sustainability communications. How a company frames its commitments and reports on its progress can strengthen or undermine stakeholder trust. Clear, transparent, and credible communication helps:

  • demonstrate accountability to investors, regulators, and customers,
  • prevent accusations of greenwashing or greenhushing,
  • highlight how sustainability supports core business objectives,
  • build internal alignment so employees understand the “why” behind change.

In other words, the narrative is part of the strategy. A strong business case must be communicated convincingly — not just internally to secure leadership buy-in, but externally to ensure long-term licence to operate.

Why we need a new narrative

The business case for sustainability must now be reframed. It cannot be reduced to quarterly returns. Instead, it must be seen as a strategic investment in resilience, agility, and long-term licence to operate.

Forward-looking companies already take this approach in other areas. Investments in innovation or emerging technologies are rarely expected to generate guaranteed short-term payback. They are pursued because leaders know they are essential to remain competitive in the long run. Sustainability and human rights deserve the same long-term vision.

The real question is no longer if the business case for sustainability exists — it is whether leaders are ready to commit to the time frame and depth of investment it requires.

Time to act

📢 How is your organisation reframing its business case for sustainability and human rights? We support organisations in designing strategies that work in practice. Let’s explore solutions together: comms@loening.org 

Further reading can be found here.