The Hidden Forces Driving Sustainability

🪐 Good morning, changemakers.

Let’s talk about who really drives sustainability inside organizations—and no, it’s not just the C-suite.

Corporate sustainability strategies don’t live in boardrooms—they thrive in Slack channels, employee networks, and informal conversations between those who care. While executives draft policies, it’s internal champions and enterprise resource groups (ERGs) that actually drive impact.

It’s time to stop thinking of sustainability as a corporate mandate—and start recognizing the informal structures that make it stick.

🚀 Is your company tapping into its hidden ESG potential, or is it missing the real drivers of change?

In today’s Impact Goal Pulse:

Let’s get into it.

🌍 REGULATION WATCH

🔹Europe’s AI Act came into force in June 2025, putting strict rules on tools used for hiring, monitoring, risk scoring, or ESG data. Classified as high-risk, these systems now require human oversight, bias checks, and full transparency. Non-compliance? Fines up to €35M or 7% of global turnover. Enforcement begins mid-2026.

📌 Source: European Commission AI Act
🧠 Why it matters: If you’re using AI in HR, ESG reporting, or supplier analysis — this is no longer experimental. It’s regulated.

Brazil is moving fast with Bill 2338/2023, modeled on the EU. It bans “excessive-risk” AI (like mass surveillance or social scoring) and demands explainability, human oversight, and audits for high-impact uses. A new regulator (ANAIA) will oversee compliance, with rollout expected in 2026.

📌 Source: Xenoss LATAM AI Tracker
🧠 Why it matters: If you operate in Brazil, your AI stack — especially in HR or finance — will soon be under legal obligation.

The EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), adopted in April 2025, requires large firms to map, monitor, and mitigate environmental and human rights risks across their supply chains. Thresholds were scaled back (1,000+ employees), but the law applies to EU and non-EU companies alike.

📌 Source: EU Parliament CSDDD Brief
🧠 Why it matters: ESG is now a legal duty — especially in procurement, operations, and supplier governance.

The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) is introducing Digital Product Passports for textiles, electronics, and batteries. These will track origin, footprint, recyclability, and lifecycle data — powered by AI tools that must also meet transparency rules.

📌 Source: European Commission ESPR
🧠 Why it matters: Sustainability data will soon need to be embedded into your product itself — and must be machine-readable.

🚀 LATEST NEWS & DEVELOPMENTS

^{WORKPLACE NETWORKS & HUMAN SYSTEMS}

💼 Organizational Velocity: Your new leading indicator
Debuted at Unite 24 — a metric that tracks how fast teams learn, adapt, and execute. Achieving it means aligning HR, IT, and Internal Comms behind a shared mission.

🛠 SPS Nexus: One platform to cut internal friction
SPS’s Nexus tools unify internal services (IT, facilities, HR) into a single UX — helping employees skip the frustration and get down to impact-driven work.

_{ACTIVATE SUSTAINABILITY IN YOUR TEAM IN A PRACTICAL, FUN AND MEASURABLE WAY}

The DoGood Challenge transforms awareness into measurable action through a structured, gamified model. Over 3 weeks, teams of up to 25 people take on themed sustainability challenges — from green mobility and circular economy habits to spotting greenwashing or testing climate knowledge.

Upcoming Programs - More info here

👉 The formula: education + action + competition + community = lasting behavior change

✨✨/ FEATURED INSIGHTS

_{EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUPS}

Forget top-down mandates—the real change is happening from within. Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are emerging as a powerful force in driving sustainability, innovation and corporate resilience and transformation.

ERGs are employee-led groups that bring people together around shared interests—like sustainability, diversity, innovation, or community impact. While traditionally focused on DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion), ERGs are now pushing companies to act on whole corporate commitments in real, measurable ways.

🔹 They connect strategy with execution – ERGs ensure that top-down corporate commitments translate into real, grassroots action.

Few interesting articles for those who want to deep dive 👇👇

⚡THE IMPACT GOAL INSIDER

According to recent reports by WEF and LinkedIn, roles blending ESG literacy with AI competency are emerging as the most in-demand across sectors. Whether you're in sustainability reporting, HR, or product innovation, knowing how to leverage AI responsibly within ESG frameworks will be your career multiplier.

🔹 Next step: Take a certified course like AI for Sustainability Leaders (by FutureLearn) or Columbia’s ESG & Impact Investing.

As regulations like CSRD and CSDDD roll out, there’s a growing shift from reporting roles to impact strategy functions — roles that shape how companies adapt and perform under scrutiny.

Think: Head of ESG Transformation, Sustainability Operating Partner, AI Ethics Lead, or Green Supply Chain Strategist.

📢 THE IMPACT GOAL NETWORK

This is the decade where purpose-built professionals win. Whether you’re a data scientist learning ESG, a sustainability manager exploring AI, or a people leader building culture around impact — the edge belongs to those who bridge disciplines.

Want a personalized roadmap for pivoting into climate tech, impact ops, or sustainable AI roles?

📩 Just ask.