26/11/2025
Is Sustainability Fatigue Real?
In recent years, sustainability has become a buzzword, ubiquitous in almost every corporate presentation and strategy. However, the price of this frequent use has been the erosion of its meaning. Many leaders, employees, and consumers are now asking the same question: “Does sustainability actually work, or is it just a way to look good?”
This questioning is actually quite healthy. Because “sustainability fatigue” indicates that we have reached the limits not only of a concept but also of an era. As someone who has worked with companies on climate, water, and nature-focused disclosure processes for over fifteen years, I observe this: Organizations are now much better at collecting data, setting targets, and preparing reports. But often, behind these efforts, there's a sense of meaning fatigue. The real challenge isn't about "showing what we do," but "understanding why we do it."
Disclosure, measurement, scores… These are the language of sustainability, but not its spirit. As we examine data from thousands of companies every year at CDP, what we see is the following: True transformation begins with intention, not rating results. When a company’s CEO sees sustainability as part of the business model rather than a communication issue and when the CFO views carbon as an opportunity area rather than a cost element, fatigue gives way to learning.
"Sustainability fatigue" is actually "lack-of-impact fatigue", because what keeps people motivated isn't just success; it's often meaning. If sustainability is limited to taxes, regulations, or investor pressure, it loses its true meaning. If it transforms into a value-based relationship with nature, society, and future generations, it revives.
We can see this fatigue not as a sign of exhaustion, but as a sign of maturity. True transformation will begin when the meaning of the concept of sustainability is internalized by institutions. In this new era, we need to move beyond ESG frameworks, climate laws, and reporting standards. The main issue isn't the question "how sustainable are we?" but rather a sincere answer to the question "why should we be sustainable?", because the essence of sustainability is not a technical issue, but an ethical one.
Mirhan Köroğlu
