Sustainability InSight: This month's round-up of sustainability reading, listening and learning

Here are six new sustainability reads to dip into this month: fresh data on the state of the profession, updated ASA guidance on avoiding greenwashing, podcasts on climate messaging and using AI to analyse emissions data, plus a stack of new climate books and ways to support nature on your doorstep.

 

1) The State of the Sustainability Profession in 2026

There has been a lot this year about what economics, politics and AI are doing to sustainability jobs and career prospects, so it's always good to see some hard data on trends and opinions. Although this annual survey by Trellis Group is weighted towards what is going on in the US, it's always interesting to see what their survey says about the state of our profession. 

 

2) Misleading environmental claims and social responsibility in advertising

In our Cambridge Marketing College one-day course on 'Understanding and Communicating Climate Change and Sustainability' we major on communicating positively on your climate and sustainability aspirations and achievements, without crossing over into 'greenwashing'. It's good then to see this update to the Advertising Standards Authority guidance on environmental claims and 'greenspeaking' with confidence. 


3) Why Climate Messaging Fails - and How to Fix It

On the topic of climate communications, this conversation with John Marshall from Potential Energy Coalition on the Harvard Business School 'Climate Rising' podcast offers some of the best advice I've heard in ages. 

 

4) 15 new books for five new takes on climate change

I had a link to some book recommendations in my last edition of 'Sustainability InSight' and here is another one from Yale Climate Connections. This should keep you going on longer reads for sustainability and climate. 

 

5) Can AI Really Extract Emissions Data?

The MSCI Inc. 'Sustainability Now' podcast is a useful resource for its analytical and dispassionate approach to sustainability and climate topics. This recent episode had some excellent insights for sustainability professionals on how best to use AI to analyse and interpret climate data. 

 

6) Nature Investment Hub: Get involved with ready-to-go projects that support nature and local economic growth

With so much focus on climate action, we often forget the impact businesses can have on the wider natural environment. It's great then to see positive examples of actions organisations have taken on nature and the support and resources available to others who want to do more. A former colleague Mike Webb, now with the West Midlands Combined Authority Nature Invest Hub, highlighted these great examples, but I am sure you can find inspiration and support locally to you if you look for it.

 

About Sustainability InSight

Sustainability InSight is Nigel's regular round-up of the most insightful sustainability content he's come across. The aim is to broaden understanding across the whole sustainability spectrum, not just environment and climate change, and help more people live and work more sustainably.

Come across something worth including in a future edition? Let Nigel know.