Analysis of the importance to build resilience when developing sustainability strategies

Building Resilience: The Backbone of Sustainability Success

Sustainability isn’t a sprint—it’s a marathon. Every organization on the path to building a greener future will face setbacks. Some initiatives may fail. Others may require several iterations before succeeding. But what separates the leaders from the rest? Resilience.

In a survey of global executives, 70% acknowledged that overcoming organizational resistance is one of the biggest barriers to implementing sustainability programs (McKinsey, 2023). Yet, those who persisted through challenges saw measurable returns—companies in the top quartile of sustainability performance achieved 21% higher EBIT margins than their peers (BCG, 2022).

Consider the renewable energy sector. Early-stage solar panel projects faced efficiency hurdles for decades. Now, the cost of solar energy has dropped by 89% since 2010, becoming the cheapest energy source globally (IRENA, 2021). Success came not through perfection but through persistence.

So, how can leaders embed resilience into their sustainability agendas?

1. Embrace failure as a teacher: Learn and adapt from what doesn’t work.

2. Focus on long-term goals: Short-term setbacks shouldn’t derail broader ambitions.

3. Build an iterative culture: Every initiative is an experiment to refine and improve.

Sustainability is too vital for humanity to give up on, even when the road gets tough. The most impactful leaders are those who persevere, iterate, and grow stronger with every challenge.