SustainabilityOnline recently published its inaugural ‘Ambition Into Action’ report, featuring interviews with senior leaders about how they are turning sustainability vision into business reality at the mid-point of the decade.
Sangeeta Waldron is the founder of London-based Serendipity PR & Media and an award-winning communications professional. She is the author of The PR Knowledge Book, Corporate Social Responsibility Is Not Public Relations, and What Will Your Legacy Be? – Conversations With Global Change Makers About The Climate Crisis.
How has your business moved from ‘ambition to action’ in terms of turning sustainability into a core value driver – in other words, how have you made sustainability ‘good for business’?
Sustainability sits at the core of my business strategy. It informs every decision made, from collaboration to investment. It isn’t a bolt-on, it’s the foundation of how we think, create, and grow. I’ve learned that when you work with like-minded people and businesses who share a genuine commitment to the planet, innovation and opportunity follow naturally.
Sustainability is our growth engine, not because it’s fashionable, but because it’s the only way to build something that lasts. When you invest time, talent, and capital into things that make the world better, business success becomes a byproduct of doing the right thing.
We’re now at the mid-point of the decade. What do you see as the single biggest barrier for businesses in moving from ambition to measurable action – and how can it be overcome?
The biggest barrier remains the absence of consistent and cohesive government leadership. Too many government policies are short-term, fragmented, or reactive, particularly in the UK, where departments operate in silos rather than through integrated sustainability strategies.
But I’m an optimist. Real progress doesn’t need to wait for policy! Change rarely starts from the top, it starts with leaders and businesses who refuse to wait. When companies take bold, transparent action, they set new standards and show that sustainability and profitability can go hand in hand.
That’s how you create momentum powerful enough to influence governments to follow with stronger, more coherent green policies and shift entire systems.
What role can (and should) leadership play in ensuring sustainability commitments actually deliver results, rather than remaining aspirational? And how can you ensure buy-in from all stakeholders?
Leadership today is about courage! The courage to learn, to listen, and to act beyond self-interest. Every business leader, no matter the industry, needs to understand the real issues our planet faces and take personal responsibility for being part of the solution.
You can’t act on what you don’t understand, and business leaders, regardless of size, sector, or geography, need to learn what sustainability really means in practice.
Once that awareness is there, a genuine commitment tends to naturally follow. With awareness comes responsibility, and from responsibility comes authentic action; it becomes a calling.
To bring everyone along, I believe we can draw on the wisdom of Indigenous and Native American principles, particularly the concept of Seventh Generation Thinking. It reminds us that every action taken today should benefit the next seven generations. When businesses adopt that mindset, sustainability shifts from a corporate initiative to a shared value, one that inspires trust, alignment, and lasting impact. A shared value that shapes how we all show up in the world.
Imagine what business and the world could look like if every leader made choices with that timescale in mind. Sustainability would no longer be an initiative; it would be an instinct!
Learn more about Sangeeta Waldron at champions-speakers.co.uk/speaker-agent/sangeeta-waldron.
