The sustainability surge: Structure is the new strategy

What industrial leaders say about scaling sustainability innovation

Across the industrial sector, leaders are navigating a critical shift from intent to impact in their approach to sustainability innovation. This global survey of executives across the globe reveals a shared challenge: the need for structured, enterprise-level strategies that can deliver measurable business results.

In this new research from UL Solutions, executives share how they’re reframing sustainability innovation — not as a standalone initiative but as a strategic asset that demands the same rigor as capital investment or digital transformation. A striking 85% of respondents said they plan to increase investment — while only 2% plan to decrease it. The survey explores what’s driving progress, what’s holding it back and how leaders are preparing to scale.

Lack of structure can limit enterprise-level innovation

The survey found that the majority of leaders plan to increase investment in sustainability innovation. But many also pointed to persistent roadblocks that prevent that investment from driving long-term impact.

Leaders cited the following as barriers:

• Goal misalignment across teams
• Internal fragmentation
• Lack of visibility into initiative performance

The research explores how a portfolio-level approach — one that integrates governance, analytics and cross-functional collaboration — could help industrial companies move from one-off projects to consistent enterprise wide results.

Redefining success around business outcomes

Executives are rethinking the role of reporting frameworks and focusing instead on financial relevance, operational value and investor alignment.

Read the full report to explore:

• The top strategies executives say will move the needle
• Which structural barriers are slowing momentum and how to overcome them
• What chief sustainability officers (CSOs), environmental, social and governance (ESG) leaders, and operational executives agree on — and where they differ
• Five priorities to move from ambition to action

The path may be complex, but leaders are not navigating it alone. Explore what your peers are prioritizing and where your organization stands in the journey toward scalable, sustainable innovation.

Download the full survey report to get insights from executives across the U.S. and EU on what it takes to scale sustainability innovation — strategically and at speed.