In August 2026, the ISEP (Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals) published its annual State of the Profession report. It provides unique insights into the sustainability profession based on responses from 1,700 sustainability professionals and interviews with experts across sectors.

The report doesn’t shy away from the many challenges facing the profession: from the political climate to economic pressures, to regulatory changes, but it explains that the profession “is not retreating, it’s adapting”.

Here are three highlights from the report:

1. The gap between ambition and resource is widening

Only 8.5% of sustainability professionals believe that current level of business spending on sustainability is adequate.

One survey respondent summed it up best:

“Short term, there appears to be less investment in sustainability resources but an expectation that existing functions can still deliver on growing internal and external requirements.”

However, the report shows an increase in integration of sustainability into core business functions (such as procurement and operations) and the growing number of sustainability champions across teams. This welcome change needs to be adequately resourced for it to be impactful.

What can professionals do?

• “Invest in financial literacy and commercial communication – the ability to quantify sustainability value has grown even further in importance”,

• “Design sustainability activity with business and society co-benefits at the core to help build the business case and engage the public – explicitly demonstrating that social value is essential, not a nice-to-have”

2. The remit is changing

43% of respondents reported that the sustainability function’s role in their organisation had changed in the past year.

“Social value and impact” has seen the strongest growth, rising by 20% to form part of the remit of 54% of respondents.

Some changes reflect the shift in the language companies are using to communicate their commitments, “dropping terms like ‘net zero’ or ‘ESG’ in favour of framing around resilience, efficiency or long-term value.”

Nature and biodiversity responsibilities continue to grow, but the path to implementation is not always clear.

What can professionals do?

• “Things like resilience and stamina and courage and a willingness to collaborate across perhaps unusual boundaries – these are going to become more important than some of the more technical competencies.” ( Expert interviewee)

• “There’s increasing concern about investing in nature markets, including carbon, because of integrity issues – and because they’re not being pushed politically as much as they were. The profession has to be the voice of quality and rigour in that space, or we lose the narrative to the sceptics.” (Expert interviewee)

• There is still a notable lack of focus on water consumption, so sustainability professionals can do more in this area.

3. The AI Debate continues

Professionals acknowledge how helpful AI can be with reporting and other tasks, however the energy consumption of AI remains a difficult topic.

Also reporting and administrative tasks have traditionally opened the doors for junior practitioners, and as these are becoming more automated that can make entering the profession even more difficult.

What can professionals do?

• “Building AI literacy and capability will be essential not only for effective workplace use but also for ensuring that sustainability professionals can shape the governance, ethics and practical applications of these technologies.”

• “Making people understand the resource picture – do not use AI to create videos or unnecessary outputs..” (Kirsty Green-Mann FISEP, Former Group Head of Sustainability, Hays PLC)

• Embed sustainability considerations in AI usage policies proactively, not reactively

• Invest in paid pathways for early-career entrants and act as a mentor to early-career professionals

Conclusion:

Doing more with less while your remit is constantly changing is not easy. Doing so in the age of AI, while continuing to advocate for reducing energy consumption and making the profession more accessible, is not for the faint of heart. However, it’s not the first year that sustainability professionals have had to deal with a difficult environment, and many have shown great adaptability and excellence under pressure, so the profession continues to deliver both great value and positive impact.  

You can read the full report here.