The Hottest Trends on Corporate Sustainability for 2020 and Beyond  

Over the past decade, the terms Sustainability, ESG risks, Climate Change and Corporate Responsibility have become central in discussions between policymakers, company board members, media, consumers and the society in general. While the concept has reached the mainstream, opportunities still exist for implementation, while at the same time new technologies and policies will require from organizations to provide innovative solutions, services and products. Here are the hottest trends to watch for and prepare for 2020 and beyond:

1. The impact of the Sustainable Development Goals will continue to grow. More and more companies will use them to align their strategies, goals and reporting with the efforts of the United Nations. Last year, a 124% increase (since 2015) to the number of companies referencing and reporting the Sustainable Development Goals was observed.
2. Climate Change is becoming Climate Crisis and carbon tax in Europe after Canada will have an impact to global or other companies that have operations there.
3. ESG ratings are booming and will have a potential negative impact to companies with no Sustainability plan and Sustainability Reports that want to have access to capital from investors.
4. Sustainability-ESG reporting will continue to grow as companies understand its importance for improving stakeholder transparency, integrity and reliability, as well as improving their ESG ratings.
5. More and more companies are expected to invest in creating ethically sourced, sustainable product lines in order to maintain the ever-conscious Millennial consumer and compete with new brands.
6. Rise of A.I. and Blockchain tools on Sustainability. Based on World Economic Forum report, 10% of GDP by 2025 will be stored on Blockchain and similar technologies.
7. Policies for the End of Plastic and smart incentives for the use of Electric Vehicles and related green technologies will start dominating the North American marketplace.
8. Expect Generation Z-ers, who are the real early adopters and digital natives, to demand better and easier-to-use technology, more flexibility in the workplace, more active corporate policies to Climate Change, and greater degrees of acceptance and transparency in the workplace and marketplace.

CSE is a leading boutique firm operating globally that specializes in maximizing business impact in Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility. CSE helps professionals advance their careers through our certified on-site, online (www.Sustainability-Academy.org) and group training services globally and supports companies and organizations grow and excel through Sustainability consulting and coaching.

Upcoming in-person Certified Sustainability (CSR) Practitioner Programs (2020 Advanced Edition) include Miami, January 16-17, London, March 12-13; Atlanta, March 9-10; Toronto, April 23-24; New York, June 11-12, and other dates globally.

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