COP31 2026: Why Sustainability Needs to Become a Business Priority

COP31 takes place in Antalya, Türkiye, from 9–20 November 2026, offering an opportunity to move beyond climate commitments and have a more meaningful conversation about what sustainability means in practice. The challenge is turning those commitments into practical action and making sustainability part of everyday business operations, planning and decision-making.

Signage at the UN Climate Change Conference COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, with Turkish and UN flags fluttering under a cloudy sky.

Beyond the conference: The gap between ambition and action

We have been talking about sustainability for years. Businesses publish sustainability statements, communicate their environmental ambitions and increasingly recognise the importance of responsible business practices. Governments make commitments, organisations introduce new policies and sustainability has become a familiar part of corporate conversations.

And yet, there is a contradiction.

When it comes to putting these ambitions into practice, sustainability is still too often missing from the business agenda.

In conversations with businesses, one response still comes up surprisingly often: "Sustainability is not on our agenda."

At the same time, there are organisations that genuinely want to become more sustainable but simply do not know where to start. They understand that reducing their environmental impact is important, but are unsure what to prioritise, what to measure or how to determine whether their efforts are making a difference.

This tells us something important: the challenge is not necessarily a lack of awareness. It is the gap between understanding sustainability and actually implementing it.

This is why COP31, taking place in Antalya, Türkiye, from 9 to 20 November 2026, matters beyond the conference itself.

The 31st Conference of the Parties brings together governments, businesses, international organisations and civil society to discuss climate change and strengthen international cooperation. These discussions are essential, but their value should not be measured only by the commitments made around the negotiating table. What really matters is what happens when everyone returns to their organisations, businesses and communities.

For businesses, COP31 is an opportunity to reconsider the role sustainability plays in their future. It is no longer simply an environmental issue or something that can be left to governments and policymakers. It is increasingly connected to how businesses manage resources, approach investment, respond to risks and remain competitive.

The question is no longer whether sustainability matters. It is whether businesses are prepared to make it part of how they work.

Making sustainability practical, not just aspirational

One reason sustainability struggles to become a business priority is that it is often perceived as an additional cost, another responsibility or something that requires significant investment.

For businesses already dealing with financial pressures, operational challenges and changing market conditions, it can be difficult to see where sustainability fits into their immediate priorities.

There is also a practical challenge. Many organisations simply do not have the knowledge, expertise or guidance needed to turn broad ambitions into realistic actions.

But sustainability does not have to begin with a major investment or a complicated strategy.

Sometimes, it starts with asking relatively simple questions. How much energy does the business consume? Where does most of its waste come from? Are resources being used efficiently? How are suppliers selected? Could purchasing decisions be improved? Are there opportunities to reduce unnecessary costs while also reducing environmental impact?

These questions may not sound particularly ambitious, but they are often where meaningful progress begins.

Understanding the current situation is essential. Businesses need to know their starting point before they can decide where they want to go. From there, they can identify priorities, set achievable objectives and introduce measures that make sense for their size, activities and available resources.

Not every organisation needs to start with the same actions, and not every business will have the same sustainability priorities. What matters is having a clear understanding of its impact and a realistic plan for improvement.

One thing that often gets overlooked is that businesses do not necessarily need another sustainability policy. Many already have one. What they need is a better understanding of how to translate that policy into operational decisions, responsibilities and measurable improvements.

This is also where the business case becomes clearer. Using less energy, reducing waste, improving resource efficiency and working more closely with responsible suppliers can bring environmental benefits while supporting operational efficiency and long-term resilience.

Perhaps this is where the conversation needs to change. Instead of asking how much sustainability will cost, businesses should also be asking what it costs them not to consider it.

Sustainable events: When the message needs to match the practice

The events industry offers a particularly interesting example of the difference between sustainability commitments and their implementation.

Conferences, exhibitions and corporate events bring people together, create opportunities for collaboration and support economic activity. They can also provide a platform for discussing important global issues, including climate change and responsible business.

However, events themselves have an impact. Transportation, accommodation, catering, energy consumption, materials, waste generation and supplier choices all contribute to their environmental and social footprint.

This creates an important responsibility, particularly when sustainability is part of an event's message.

If an event is intended to promote sustainability, its organisation should reflect those values. It is difficult to speak convincingly about responsible practices while overlooking the resources used to deliver the event itself.

A more sustainable approach starts long before the event takes place. It involves considering the choice of venue, working with local and responsible suppliers, reviewing catering arrangements, reducing unnecessary materials, encouraging lower-emission transport and ensuring accessibility and inclusion.

It also means considering the people and communities affected by an event, rather than focusing exclusively on its environmental footprint.

Frameworks such as ISO 20121:2024 provide guidance for integrating sustainability into event planning and management. They encourage organisers to consider environmental, social and economic impacts throughout the event lifecycle, establish objectives and evaluate performance.

But having a framework or a sustainability policy is only the beginning. The real difference comes from how these principles influence everyday decisions.

A sustainable event is not simply one that produces less waste or uses fewer materials. It is one where responsibility is considered throughout the process, from the first planning meeting to the final evaluation.

And perhaps most importantly, it is an event where the experience matches the message.

From good intentions to measurable progress

There is another important aspect of sustainability that businesses sometimes overlook: the need to measure what they are doing.

It is relatively easy to say that an organisation wants to become greener, reduce its environmental impact or operate more responsibly. It is much more difficult to demonstrate what has actually changed.

Without a starting point, clear objectives and regular monitoring, sustainability efforts can become difficult to evaluate. Businesses may introduce initiatives without knowing whether they are addressing their most significant impacts or achieving meaningful results.

Measuring progress does not have to be complicated from the beginning. Organisations can start by looking at areas such as energy consumption, carbon emissions, water use, waste generation and purchasing practices.

The important thing is to identify relevant indicators, understand what they reveal and use that information to make better decisions.

There is also a need for honesty and transparency. Sustainability is a process, and not every organisation will achieve its objectives immediately. There will be challenges, limitations and areas where further improvement is needed.

That should not discourage businesses from taking action. In fact, recognising where progress is still needed is part of taking sustainability seriously.

What matters is moving away from broad statements and towards measurable improvements. Less emphasis on what an organisation intends to do, and more attention to what it is actually doing.

This is also how businesses can build credibility and avoid sustainability becoming little more than a marketing exercise.

The real legacy of COP31

COP31 creates another opportunity for governments, businesses and international organisations to discuss climate priorities and strengthen their commitments. But the real legacy of the conference will not be determined by the discussions in Antalya alone.

It will depend on what happens afterwards.

Will businesses start looking at sustainability as part of their business strategy? Will organisations invest time in understanding their environmental impact? Will event organisers rethink how they plan and deliver events? And will the commitments made at an international level translate into practical improvements at local and organisational levels?

These are the questions that matter.

Governments have an important role in creating the conditions for progress. Businesses need to recognise that sustainability is part of long-term development, risk management and competitiveness. Organisations across different sectors need to find practical ways to turn their ambitions into action.

But there is also a message for businesses that are still unsure where to begin: you do not need to have all the answers before taking the first step.

Start by understanding your impact. Identify what matters most. Set realistic priorities. Measure your progress. Learn, adapt and improve.

Sustainability does not become meaningful simply because it appears in a strategy, a report or a public statement. It becomes meaningful when it starts influencing decisions, changing practices and shaping the way an organisation operates.

Perhaps this is the real opportunity COP31 presents: not simply to make stronger commitments, but to close the gap between what we say about sustainability and what we are actually prepared to do.

Because the future of sustainable business will not be defined by how often we talk about it, but by how consistently we put it into practice.