Progress over perfection: The smart moves that set leaders apart

In a time described by renowned journalist Christiane Amanpour as having “no world order,” we find ourselves navigating a rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape. From the escalating chaos in the Middle East and the ongoing wars in Gaza and Ukraine to the US President using military force to address immigration protests in Los Angeles, uncertainty is spreading globally — affecting markets and societies alike.

For leaders in impact and sustainability, these times can feel particularly daunting. Yet, amid this turbulence, there are still powerful examples of leaders finding ways to make progress — even when faced with imperfection and unpredictability.

In moments of crisis, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the enormity of challenges. But as Kristina Wyatt — Chief Sustainability Officer at carbon accounting platform Persefoni — noted at a recent Impact Leaders Lab (ILL) event, we are often further ahead than we realize. Over the past few years, the sustainability landscape has evolved dramatically — from fragmented reporting systems to the creation of globally recognized standards. This progress, while hard-won, offers a foundation on which leaders can continue to build — even when the path ahead is unclear.

Leaders today understand that sustainability isn’t just about ticking boxes or meeting quotas — it’s about navigating the shifting terrain of material issues and adapting to address what truly matters. This approach is reflected in how companies are embedding sustainability into their strategies and driving real change in their industries. But even beyond corporate success stories, there’s a broader trend of collaboration and shared learning that empowers leaders to lean into their communities and tackle the hardest problems together.

As the business world embraces emerging technologies and new approaches to measuring impact, there’s a growing sense that imperfect solutions can still lead to meaningful change. From leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to address various challenges to embracing dynamic materiality in response to shifting economic conditions, today’s leaders are showing that small, intentional actions — even in the face of uncertainty — can set them apart.

Leaning into the power of community

For sustainability leaders, the strength of their community often proves an invaluable resource. As Wyatt shared during the ILL event, the ability to collaborate and learn from peers is one of the key elements driving progress. Whether through roundtables with senior executives or her role as executive sponsor for Persefoni’s Sustainability Advisory Board, Wyatt highlighted the importance of these connections.

“It’s not about titles or status,” she explained. “It’s about the willingness to share knowledge, confront challenges together and learn from one another.”

This spirit of openness and shared learning has become a hallmark of the sustainability community, where leaders understand that no one has all the answers. The willingness to engage with others, ask tough questions and offer solutions creates a dynamic exchange of ideas that helps everyone move forward — even in the face of uncertainty.

Embracing dynamic materiality

The concept of materiality is evolving, and leaders who understand this dynamic shift are positioning themselves to stay ahead. Material issues — the ones that investors consider important to their investment or voting decisions — are not fixed; they’re influenced by the changing environment in which we live, shifting social norms and emerging access to information that was previously obscured.

As Wyatt explained, “What’s material today might not have been material a few decades ago. We saw this with toxic substances — which at one point were not on investors’ radars but made their way to investor consciousness, as the potential financial implications for companies became clear.”

What this means for leaders is the need for agility — to constantly reassess what issues matter most, as circumstances evolve. This adaptability is a crucial trait of leadership in uncertain times and can differentiate those who succeed from those who struggle to keep up with changing demands.

Beyond box-ticking: Embedding sustainability in business strategy

Some leaders are no longer approaching sustainability as a check-the-box initiative but as a core business strategy. When Wyatt first met Aramark VP of Sustainability Alan Horowitz, for example, he was working to make the business case for sustainability within the company. Three years later, with full CFO support, Aramark is making tangible strides to reduce food waste and adopt industry-leading sustainable sourcing practices.

Similarly, at Syracuse University’s Dynamic Sustainability Lab, students led a project to measure carbon emissions from food waste in the university’s cafeterias. The findings from this research will influence changes in food sourcing, kitchen practices and even signage to encourage more responsible disposal. These examples exemplify the potential gains from embedding sustainability into the fabric of an organization’s operations — a shift that requires time, persistence and engaged leadership.

Emerging ESG trends: A glimmer of hope for the future

As the sustainability landscape continue to shift, emerging trends offer new sources of hope and optimism. Wyatt highlighted the growing role of AI in advancing sustainability efforts, particularly in areas such as emissions tracking and anomaly detection.

She noted that “AI offers huge potential for benchmarking, identifying climate risks and spotting significant contributors to emissions” — presenting an exciting opportunity for businesses to refine their sustainability practices and make more informed decisions.

Persefoni, for example, has leveraged AI in partnership with PagerDuty — a SaaS platform for IT incident management — to identify anomalies in Scope 2 emissions data. Once the anomaly was identified, PagerDuty worked with Persefoni’s facility landlord to correct errors — allowing the company to significantly improve the accuracy of its greenhouse gas emissions reporting.

Imperfection is part of the journey

Wyatt concluded the conversation with a message for all leaders: “Don’t worry about being perfect or having all the answers. Just lean in and engage.”

In a world full of uncertainty, it’s the small, consistent actions and the willingness to adapt, collaborate and learn — that can truly set leaders apart. Progress may not always be linear; but by focusing on what matters and staying committed, we can continue to drive meaningful change even when things aren’t perfect.