Shift Work reads between the lines of culture, leadership and sustainability - decoding the patterns shaping what’s next. A monthly series from Between Seasons, this is a signal scan and trend report for the quietly disruptive.
What’s moving beneath the surface
True power shifts happen when leadership stops being a role and starts being a practice.
There’s a quiet shift happening in the world of sustainability leadership - and it’s not in the headlines.
It’s showing up in boardrooms, where executives are being held accountable for ESG in ways they’ve never had to be before. And it’s surfacing in operational teams, where sustainability professionals are relied on for their expertise, but rarely supported to grow as leaders.
The power dynamics are shifting - and not everyone has the language to describe it, or the support to lead through it.
The Shift
↳ The Sustainability Power Gap
01. Being an expert doesn’t make you a leader
Sustainability professionals are rising - fast. They’re being asked to manage up and across, change hearts and minds and secure buy-in and budget from the C-suite - all while being relied on for their subject matter expertise, but rarely supported to grow as leaders.
Unlike traditional corporate functions, there aren’t well-worn ladders with multiple rungs to prepare them. Many are stepping up to senior leadership (or something close to it) not because they’ve been groomed for influence, but because the business urgently needs their expertise.
Their deep technical knowledge is essential - but expertise alone doesn’t make someone a leader.
The result?
Burnout, imposter syndrome and stalled progress on the things that matter most.
02. Having the power doesn’t mean you know the work
Seasoned business leaders are now in the hot seat for ESG. They’re expected to sign off disclosures, field questions from the Board and absorb sustainability into their portfolios - all while being legally and reputationally accountable for responsibilities they didn’t train for.
But most don’t know sustainability beyond headlines and paper straws - and few have had the space (or support) to grapple with its complexity or nuance.
They hold the title and the power, but they don't have the fluency to lead with confidence - or the connection to lead with care. And when that’s missing, sustainability stays stuck on the sidelines - not as a strategic imperative, but as an organisational afterthought.
The result?
Hesitation, performative gestures and quiet reprioritisation for whatever feels safest to lead.
Together, these shifts signal an evolving identity crisis in sustainability leadership.
Who’s actually equipped to lead this work? Who’s being asked to - and who’s ready to?
Signals to Watch
↳ Clues and breadcrumbs from the field
Corporate Sustainability Is in Crisis. What Should Companies Do Now? – Harvard Business Review: A sobering look at why corporate sustainability is stalling at the top - and why that might be the pause before the pivot.
ChangeNOW: Getting Your Board on Board – ChangeNOW: A high-profile panel spotlighting why board-level ESG leadership is critical for lasting business success and societal impact.
Global Green Skills Report 2024 – LinkedIn: Sustainability professionals are rising as indispensable change agents - facing unprecedented pressure to lead.
UN Global Compact x Accenture - CEO Study – UNGC x Accenture: CEOs agree that sustainability is central to their role, but there are many headwinds stalling integration.
What it means
If you’re a sustainability professional:
You are being asked to do more than just inform or advise - you’re being asked to lead. That requires influence skills, storytelling and a new kind of emotional stamina. Start by mapping your allies, refining your inner narrative and remembering:
Influence is learned. Readiness is earned.
Try this:
Write down who you need to influence in the next month. Then write down what matters most to them.
That’s your starting point.
If you’re an executive:
Pause and ask yourself - am I just approving the work, or am I actively embodying it? Your team is watching your posture and your priorities. Even small shifts - how you open a meeting, how you back a changemaker - can signal real alignment.
Here’s your mantra:I don’t need to be a subject matter expert to lead with purpose.
Try this:
Before your next meeting, take 60 seconds to consider: What would alignment look like if I embodied it - not just approved it?
Then model that - in how you open, support, or respond.
Note to Self
✉️ If this sparked something, subscribe or share it with someone else navigating the shift - these conversations grow stronger when they’re not held alone.
Rooting for you, always.
P.S.
What power dynamics are shifting in your work?
Comment or hit reply - I’d love to hear.