A world in balance 2026

Water stress and scarcity, climate disruption, resource constraints, and geopolitical volatility have made business resilience transformation a necessity. Sustainability is now a discipline focused on crafting a climate resilience strategy to maintain growth and business performance rather than just a compliance checklist.

Organizations are looking to cut emissions with investments in adaptation, a resource security strategy, and business continuity. At the same time, AI is emerging as a powerful enabler of sustainability resilience strategy, creating sustainability value, while introducing new environmental and governance considerations.

The fifth edition of our latest report, A world in balance 2026: the resilience reset, draws on a survey of 2,100 senior executives from 701 organizations across 13 countries, interviews with sustainability and business leaders, and insights from 6,500 consumers worldwide.
Defining the future of sustainability value creation

Climate and water scarcity risks cannot be ignored

Climate-related disruptions are increasingly impacting operations, supply chains, and influencing growth. Nearly nine in ten organizations (87%) report supply chain climate disruptions, while 61% of executives believe water scarcity will become a greater growth constraint than energy availability within five years, spurring on water risk management plans.

Sustainability is tied to resilience

Organizations are expanding their focus climate adaptation investments to include adaptation, strengthening resource security, and business continuity. Nearly two-thirds (64%) report revising sustainability priorities, while 78% are integrating energy and resource resilience into business strategy.

New and measurable business value

Sixty-nine percent of organizations report positive ROI from sustainability initiatives, with 67% reporting lower operating costs, and 64% stating sustainability investments have contributed to increased sales.

What’s standing between ambition and implementation

The sustainability maturity index declined for a second consecutive year, while delays to net-zero objectives increased sharply. Many organizations continue to struggle with fragmented data, limited value-chain visibility, and execution at scale.

The art of balancing sustainable AI implementation

Organizations are using AI to optimize supply chain resilience, improve energy efficiency, strengthen reporting, and forecast climate risks. While 71% believe the benefits of Gen AI outweigh its environmental impact, most organizations still lack insights into AI’s energy, carbon, and water footprint.

Five priorities for leaders

Organizations should:

• Strengthen climate adaptation planning and water resilience across operations and supply chains
• Expand sustainability strategies beyond carbon reduction to include adaptation, resource security, and business continuity
• Focus investment on measurable, future-ready business resilience through efficiency, growth, innovation, and risk reduction
• Close the gap between ambition and execution through stronger data, governance, and operational capabilities
• Use AI for sustainability to deliver measurable progress while improving oversight of AI’s environmental impact

The report will be valuable to leaders responsible for advancing sustainability and business transformation, including those across strategy, operations, supply chain, procurement, risk management, product development, finance, and technology. It provides practical insights into accelerating sustainability outcomes, building climate resilience, and creating resilient sustainable growth in a world of uncertainty.

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