Happy New Year! Where are you with your sustainability program?

Welcome to 2026!

If your company has chosen to ignore the environmental drum beat and plans to prove your sustainability commitment only when forced, things will get progressively harder this year.

In the United States, even with non-proactive federal environmental policies, the following continues to occur:

• 48 states have climate action plans.
• 24 states and the District of Columbia have greenhouse gas reduction programs.
• 40% of the US GDP comes from states with laws requiring reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
• 13 states have laws directly regulating business emissions.
• 5 states have laws requiring large companies to report their emissions.
• Starting January 1, 2026, New York became the 3^rd state (joining California and Washington) to implement greenhouse gas reporting requirements for its general business community). These three states account for 26% of the US GDP.
• Like it or not, your business will be impacted.

Globally, we see the following: 

• 92% of global GDP is via countries that have national net-zero pledges.
• 46% of global GDP is from countries who are reducing their emissions.
• By the end of 2026, over 50% of the world’s GDP will be from countries that are reducing their emissions.
• If you continue to ignore, it will be progressively harder to do business.

How about consumer trends?

• 85% of consumers have changed their buying loyalties to sustainable companies.
• 80% of consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable products.
• 73% of consumers globally are willing to leave you if they find a sustainable company doing what you do.
• Net, you are swimming up stream against a pretty strong current.

Yeah, but what about actual performance?

• As previously reported, using 640 studies over 10 years, no matter what financial metric you want to look at – profit, sales, growth, margin, et cetera – you are falling further behind the certified sustainable competitor down the street.
• The gap will continue to widen.
• If you missed your Plan in 2025 and you do not become certified sustainable in early 2026, odds are, you will continue to miss your Plan.

What does this mean for your company?

• You snooze; you lose!

If you decide to consider becoming certified sustainable, read this on what you want in a sustainability program, watch this master class, and contact us.

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• Source: https://edenark.com/happy-new-year-where-are-you-with-your-sustainability-program/