As we mark the 10-year anniversary of the Sustainable Development Goals later this month, have we fumbled them?
Yes, we have, but all hope is not lost.
The 2010s were a unique decade defined by optimism and a shared belief in coordinated global progress, which peaked in the near-global adoption of the SDGs and the Paris Agreement in 2015.
The prevailing narrative was that the SDG’s economic growth, social progress, and environmental protection could be achieved through mobilising trillions of dollars annually through public-private partnerships between governments and financial institutions, in the name of sustainable development and purpose-driven growth.
When Optimism Met Reality
Vital partnerships, such as Mark Carney’s Glasgow Finance Alliance for Net-Zero, which committed over “$130 trillion of private capital to transforming the economy for net zero,” have failed to deliver.
This year, we’ve seen major US banks, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, and Bank of America exit the alliance.
We’re now living in a different world, one that is defined by polycrises: fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, high inflation, geopolitical tensions, and the actions of two Trump administrations, flailing tariff policies and the US’s retreat from international development finance and global aid.
Read more: Expert Opinion: What Makes a Social Impact Strategy Credible in 2025
A Shift in the Language of Sustainability
The language around sustainability is also changing.
52% of executives are reframing their language (The Conference Board), moving away from ambiguous and politicised “ESG” language, toward measurable and outcome-oriented terms around “sustainability” or “social and environmental impact.”
As one corporate affairs team said during Climate Week in 2024:
“If we’re using acronyms, we’re losing.”
All Hope Is Not Lost
Consumers want to buy products with a lower impact and higher welfare, and they’re often willing to pay more.
A PwC study of over 20,000 consumers across 31 countries found that 80% are willing to pay more for sustainably produced or sourced goods, with 85% stating that they’ve experienced climate impacts firsthand.
In fact, when price, quality, and convenience are on par, it is sustainability that tips the balance and strengthens brand loyalty.
A comprehensive US-based study (2017–2022) found that products with sustainability claims accounted for 56% of all market growth.
The study was based on sales data from 600,000 packaged goods SKUs and 44,000 brands over this five-year period.
This same sentiment was reflected in a more recent UK supermarket study, which found that 74% of products marketed online (across 132,000 SKUs from seven major UK supermarkets) now feature green or welfare claims, averaging 2.9 claims per product (British Retail Consortium, 2024).
Globally, products branded as sustainable reached a 17% overall market share and were responsible for 32% of market growth — growing 2.7 times faster than conventional goods (The Roundup, 2025).
Brands that integrate sustainability into their offerings capture disproportionate growth.
The Message Is Clear
Sustainability sells and drives growth.
The focus should be on combating greenwashing through measurable impact and advertising standards that ensure green marketing is accurate and substantiated.
Where Sympact Comes In
That’s where Sympact comes in crafting measurable strategies and bespoke partnerships that eliminate risk and align your brand’s social and environmental impact with business goals.
From material innovation to nature restoration and responsible supply chains, we transform sustainability, social impact, and compliance into opportunities for brand loyalty, revenue growth, and measurable impact.
Conclusion
The evidence is clear today’s consumers aren’t just curious about sustainability they act on it.
