Roeth: Sustainability becoming a strategic priority

It is interesting how an idea sometimes seems to start as a fad or something “the cool kids do” but then becomes mainstream. I think this is what is happening with sustainability. Years ago, you rarely heard talk about sustainability in the corporate offices of America’s leading companies. The only people talking about sustainability were environmental advocates.

Ten to 20 years ago, people began to question environmental changes, and there were discussions and protests about how we were using our natural resources. The protests led to scientific studies that validated concerns regarding the condition of the environment.

Fast forward to today, when major public companies have created C- or VP-level positions focused on sustainability. Some of this was likely aided by SEC disclosure regulations, but I believe some of it was motivated by the realization that we all have to play a part in the health of our planet.

Deloitte’s 2024 Sustainability Action Report presented survey findings on ESG disclosures and preparedness. Nearly all of the 300 senior business leaders who completed the survey indicated they were making ESG reporting a strategic priority. A key takeaway from the report is that more than four in five executives report significant or moderate progress toward their sustainability goals compared to only one year ago.

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Both internal and external pressures are being felt by executives to set and achieve sustainability goals. Those pressures are coming from boards of directors, investors, employees, and customers in addition to regulators.

The report says that companies are recognizing both internal and external benefits of ESG reporting, including enhancing brand reputation and being able to attract top talent.

It is clear to me that setting ESG goals and doing the work necessary to meet those goals is a clear requirement for businesses that want to remain successful. I think we are at a point where sustainability is becoming entrenched in corporate cultures, and I don’t see us going back to a point where we can deny or ignore trucking’s impact on the environment.

I understand that sometimes meeting these goals comes with a higher price tag, but I think a lot of really smart people are working on ways for trucking to be cleaner without breaking the bank. While trucking may not have all the answers on how it can operate in a more sustainable manner, we are well on our way to finding such solutions.