On Entropy, Sustainability, & Change

Entropy & Sustainability: A Surprisingly Useful Parallel 

In physics, entropy is a measure of disorder, systems naturally move from order to chaos unless energy is invested to maintain structure.

The same is true in sustainability strategy.

Without ongoing attention, alignment, and action, even the best-designed sustainability plans begin to unravel:

-Priorities blur

- stakeholders disengage

- Data quality decays

- Momentum fades

Just as entropy increases in a closed physical system, organizational entropy grows when a sustainability strategy is left on autopilot.

That’s why continuous effort is key, constant feedback loops, adaptive governance, cross-functional collaboration, and transparent communication are the “energy inputs” that keep the system from drifting into chaos.

A stable sustainability strategy is not one that resists change, it's one that stays relevant by managing change.

Let’s treat sustainability not as a fixed framework, but as a living system, one that needs regular care to avoid the natural pull toward disorder.

Have you experienced “strategy entropy” in your organization? How did you counter it?