GreenBiz26: the questions we’re asking ourselves
published 3.9.26
Every year, GreenBiz serves as a kind of temperature check for the sustainability field.
What’s getting attention.
What’s quietly shifting.
What people are worried about but not quite saying out loud.
We have been attending for ~ten years and this year’s conference felt different.
There were still plenty of inspiring conversations and brilliant people in the room (as always). This gathering continues to be one of the most important spaces for sustainability leaders to connect, and we’re grateful to be a part of it. At the same time, the overall energy felt a bit duller than in some past years; reflective of the time we’re in, perhaps. Attendance appeared somewhat smaller than peak GreenBiz moments, and many of the biggest questions facing the field seemed to surface more often in hallway conversations than on stage.
Gatherings like this play a critical role in helping the sustainability community compare notes, test ideas and understand how the field is evolving in real time.
In these smaller conversations—over coffee, between sessions and late in the evening—we kept hearing some version of the same question:
“Are we okay?”
It wasn’t always asked directly, but it was there. And it shaped many of the conversations happening around the conference.
Here are a few of the themes and shifts that stood out most to us.
1. Sustainability Storytelling Is Shifting
For years, corporate sustainability communications followed a fairly predictable script: announce a bold commitment, highlight achievements and celebrate progress. This year, we noticed a shift toward something more nuanced at GreenBiz.
Some companies are beginning to move away from purely congratulatory storytelling and toward a “test and learn” approach—being more transparent about what they’re experimenting with, what isn’t working yet and where they still have work to do. One example shared during a session involved a company framing a packaging initiative not as a finished success story, but as an ongoing experiment they were inviting stakeholders to watch and learn from. It’s a subtle change in tone, but an important one that normalizes trying things and evolving, without the expectation of unrealistic perfection.
Trust today is less about the perfect marketing story and more about credibility and transparency, which takes time to earn. And we know that bringing stakeholders along for the journey (rather than presenting polished outcomes) will ultimately build stronger relationships.
2. AI Is Everywhere—But Most Teams Are Still Figuring It Out
AI surfaced in nearly every conversation at GreenBiz. But despite the hype, most organizations are still in the early stages of figuring out how to use it meaningfully. Right now, the most common applications are fairly practical:
Cleaning and organizing Scope 3 emissions data
Streamlining reporting processes
Supporting data-heavy analysis
Where the conversation became more interesting was around AI and communications. Some research presented suggested a clear trust distinction:
Fact-based AI content—data synthesis, summaries, research support—is generally accepted by audiences
Emotion-driven storytelling generated by AI, however, tends to lose credibility once people realize it wasn’t written by a human
In other words, AI may be extremely useful for processing information, but when it comes to meaning-making and narrative, human voices still matter. We loved hearing that!
3. ESG Is Being Reframed as Risk Management
One of the biggest structural shifts happening inside companies right now is where sustainability sits internally. Many teams shared that they are being reorganized under legal, finance, or investor relations, rather than operating as standalone ESG or impact teams. But we’re used to being moved around by now, aren’t we? And that shift reflects a broader reframing across the field; ESG is increasingly being positioned as a risk management function.
Companies are integrating ESG considerations into enterprise risk management frameworks, recognizing that climate, supply chain disruption and regulatory shifts represent real operational risks. In many ways, this signals maturity. But, it also raises important questions about balance. If sustainability is framed only as risk mitigation, we could lose sight of the opportunity it represents—to innovate, build resilience and create better systems.
4. Regulatory Instability Is Creating a “Wait and See” Mindset
Another topic that surfaced repeatedly was regulatory uncertainty. Organizations are navigating a complex patchwork of state-level policies, particularly around Extended Producer Responsibility and environmental disclosure requirements.
Instead of clear national frameworks, companies are trying to comply with:
Different state regulations
Rapidly evolving disclosure rules
Ongoing political shifts
The result is a sense of uncertainty. Many sustainability leaders described their organizations adopting a “wait and see” posture, where companies hesitate to move too aggressively until the policy landscape stabilizes. This can be incredibly frustrating for people in the sustainability seat internally - if that’s you, we see you and we’re sorry. We help many clients make the case internally, so if you’re hitting a wall, please reach out.
5. Water and Nature Are Rising Fast on the Corporate Agenda
One of the most notable developments this year was the growing focus on water and nature stewardship. For the third year in a row, GreenBiz hosted a dedicated water track, reflecting how quickly this conversation is accelerating. And the framing is shifting - water stewardship is no longer being treated primarily as a conservation issue or reputational concern. Increasingly, companies are recognizing it as a direct business continuity risk. Drought, watershed degradation and ecosystem loss can directly impact operations, supply chains and long-term cost structures. Yah, it’s a lot.
Alongside water, nature and biodiversity are also gaining momentum, driven in part by evolving European regulations and growing recognition that climate solutions cannot exist separately from ecosystem health. Many companies are only beginning to understand how material these issues may become.
6. A Tension Many People Are Feeling
Perhaps the most striking observation from the conference wasn’t what was discussed, but what wasn’t. Despite a turbulent political and regulatory moment, many speakers approached these challenges cautiously, avoiding directly naming the broader headwinds facing the sustainability field right now. It’s clear our field is still figuring out how to talk about some of its biggest challenges publicly without creating financial risk. We’ll say it though…ICE OUT.
In smaller conversations, people spoke openly about uncertainty, political pressure and the emotional weight many practitioners are carrying. But to some, those conversations felt toned down or like they were being watered down on the main stage.
The result was a slight disconnect between the reality many people are navigating and the narratives being presented publicly.
Where We Go From Here
GreenBiz serves an important purpose as one of the few spaces where thousands of people working across sustainability can gather, compare notes and sense where the field is headed.
A few things feel clear coming out of this year’s conference:
Transparency is becoming more valuable than perfection
AI will reshape workflows—but not replace thoughtful storytelling
Risk framing is becoming dominant, but opportunity must remain part of the conversation
Water, nature and biodiversity are rising quickly on the corporate agenda
Our Perspective at qb.
At qb., we work closely with organizations navigating exactly these kinds of transitions. Right now, many sustainability teams are facing a challenging combination of pressures:
Shifting regulations
Rising expectations from stakeholders
Internal restructuring
And increasing scrutiny around how impact is communicated
In moments like this, communications becomes more than messaging. It becomes strategy. How organizations talk about their work - what they acknowledge, what they prioritize and how transparently they engage stakeholders - can shape trust for years to come. The companies that will navigate this moment successfully won’t be the ones with the most polished narratives. They will be the ones that are willing to communicate honestly, adapt quickly and bring people along as the work evolves. That’s the kind of work we’re excited to keep doing. And: the most valuable conversations are still happening between the sessions, when people can talk honestly about what they’re seeing inside their organizations. That’s one of the reasons we decided to launch our new invite-only peer network offering, the qb. hive.
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by Noemí Jiménez
Communications Lead + Cofounder
