Blueprint for a New Era of Sustainable Business

Sustainability leaders face a pivotal moment as companies reset sustainability strategies to resonate amid disruption. Moving away from aspirational target setting, the challenge now is to focus on clear, credible priorities that drive business value. The Aspen Institute Business & Society Program and Brunswick Group have spent 2026 working with companies on what wins in this new era.

Leaders confront big questions. How can sustainability strategies be reset and reframed as central to the firm’s priorities? What skills do sustainability teams need to drive change across the value chain? The Blueprint for a New Era of Sustainable Business is coming into focus.

This guide gathers insights from discussions with senior leaders on how they are recalibrating strategy, reshaping the role of the CSO and their teams, shifting practices across the enterprise, and identifying what resonates with external stakeholders. Our aim is to provide fresh, practical perspectives on anchoring sustainability in growth, resilience, and long-term value.