After 21 years, The Sustainability Leaders survey is the longest-running survey of its kind. In this latest edition, the viewpoints of over 800 sustainability experts have been analyzed, not just on which corporate leaders stand out most, but also, for the first time, which NGOs and national governments are doing the most to drive sustainable development forward.
What was surprising was that stakeholders’ expectations for leadership are gradually becoming more balanced across a range of actors. No doubt, this shift is a result of frustration with the poor long-term achievement by state actors. But it is also a reflection of an increasingly complex global landscape with a multitude of actors expected to collaborate on solutions to systemic challenges. In this context, the perceived improvement in the performance of the United Nations is encouraging, and this leadership will be put to the test later this year when decision-makers gather in Paris.