In the News
Why sustainability leaders need integrated insight
07 May 2026
By Matt Painter, Managing Director, Risk and Reputation
Today’s sustainability leader faces rising expectations from every direction. Investors, regulators, NGOs, employees and customers all want clearer evidence of progress and accountability.
The challenge is not just to do the right thing, but to understand how this is interpreted externally. Are we building stakeholder trust and credibility, or destroying it?
At Echo Research, we consistently see organisations investing heavily in sustainability programmes but missing out on the reputational benefit. Often, this comes down to a lack of integrated insight. A business may have strong operational data, but limited understanding of stakeholder expectations, emerging reputational risks or whether their messages are truly cutting through.
Our work is informed by the Sustainability Leaders Panel, which Echo co-leads with Good Business and Mishcon de Reya. The panel brings together more than 100 senior sustainability leaders from over 20 countries to share peer-to-peer insight on the emerging challenges shaping sustainability strategy. Through regular research and high-level discussions, the panel provides a unique view into how leading organisations are navigating regulation, reputation, stakeholder scrutiny and business transformation.
The most effective sustainability leaders are those who connect performance, perception and business value. They use evidence not only to strengthen reporting, but to inform strategy, prioritise investment and build lasting stakeholder trust.
Combining stakeholder research, reputation analysis, media intelligence and risk monitoring, we give businesses a clearer picture of where they stand, and where action is needed.
Find out more about joining our Sustainability Leaders Panel and Echo’s integrated insight for sustainability leaders by contacting matt.painter@echoresearch.com
