Key Takeaways
- Sustainability stakeholders are split between system-preserving and transformation-driven mindsets.
- Business actions that appeal to one group of stakeholders may alienate another.
- A “Yes, and” strategy is essential: balancing compliance with innovation, equity with efficiency, and system stability with transformation.
A new segmentation analysis of 844 global sustainability experts, conducted by GlobeScan in collaboration with ERM and Volans, identifies four distinct mindsets that shape how stakeholders engage with the sustainability agenda. Based on expert ratings of different actions to drive positive impact, this segmentation identifies groups with shared perspectives on what works best to advance sustainability moving forward.
Two of these stakeholder segments reflect a more incumbent system-preserving orientation: Traditionalists (42%) favor incremental progress through regulatory and compliance-focused approaches, while Institutionalists (9%) prefer technocratic solutions and maintaining the existing system.
The other two stakeholder segments lean toward transformation. Radicals (26%) advocate for deep, justice-driven change led by activism and social mobilization, while Pathfinders (23%) support ambitious sustainability progress grounded in innovation, technology, and market-based solutions.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
The coexistence of these divergent perspectives presents a complex challenge for business leaders. While Traditionalistsvalue continuity and compliance, Radicals push for bold, justice-centered transformation. Pathfinders and Institutionalists occupy the middle ground, balancing ambition with pragmatism.
To succeed in this fragmented landscape, companies must embrace a “Yes, and” mindset, one that reconciles system stability with transformation, compliance with innovation, and equity with efficiency. As stakeholder expectations rise and scrutiny intensifies, integrated strategies that bridge these divides are essential to maintaining legitimacy, managing reputational risk, and demonstrating credible leadership.
This analysis is based on a survey of 844 sustainability practitioners across 72 countries globally. To learn more about how sustainability experts believe we can best navigate this crucial inflection point in the evolution of the global sustainability agenda, explore our recent report: Sustainability at a Crossroads.
Survey Question: Please rate the extent to which each of the following could potentially lead to significant positive sustainability outcomes over the next five years. Please use a 5-point scale where 1 is the potential to have “no positive impact at all,” 3 is “moderate positive impact,” and 5 is “very significant positive impact.” Respondents were statistically segmented based on their rating of 64 potential actions and interventions.
