Lessons from a Decade in Emissions Reporting
We Have Seen This Pattern Too Often
After more than ten years working with sustainability teams across different industries, one thing is clear.
The goals are set.
The roadmap is approved.
The teams are engaged.
But somewhere between planning and actual work, progress slows down.
Updates stop. Data gets delayed. The strategy becomes a reference, not a tool.
This is not due to lack of effort. It is due to specific gaps that are still being overlooked.
Four Reasons Sustainability Work Gets Stuck
1. Shared ownership means no ownership
When sustainability responsibility is distributed across departments, but no one is directly accountable, progress fades.
Everyone agrees it matters.
But without clear task owners, nothing moves.
2. People do not know how to act on the strategy
Sustainability goals often make sense at a strategic level.
But on the ground, teams do not know what they are supposed to do.
A fuel manager may be told to reduce emissions.
A procurement officer may be asked to assess vendor sustainability.
But unless this is translated into clear steps and systems, they cannot act on it.
3. The data is always behind
Most reporting systems are delayed.
Data arrives late, cleaned manually, and by then the situation has already passed.
When action depends on outdated information, there is no chance to correct course.
Problems are noticed too late.
4. The strategy stays on paper
Sustainability goals are rarely connected to how decisions are actually made.
Vendor selection. Route planning. Equipment upgrades.
These decisions continue without any direct link to the sustainability strategy.
That means the work remains disconnected from the goals.
What We Have Learned
The issue is not with vision. It is with structure.
Sustainability needs to function like finance or safety.
It needs to be built into systems, roles, and operational cycles.
The most progress we have seen has come from organisations that focused on three things:
- Clear responsibility
Someone is accountable for each task. Not just aligned in theory. - Live visibility
People can see what is working and what is not. Not after the quarter ends, but while it is happening. - Operational tools
Strategy, compliance, and daily work are linked through systems people actually use.
Final Thought
We have seen solid plans lose momentum.
We have seen data gaps lead to missed reports.
We have seen teams trying to contribute without the tools or clarity to do so.
If your sustainability roadmap looks good but execution is slow, ask these questions:
- Who owns the key actions
- Can progress be seen as it happens
- Does the plan influence daily decisions or sit outside of them
The space between planning and execution is where most sustainability efforts slow down.
That is the layer we have focused on for more than a decade.
And that is where the next phase of progress will be built.
