Why It’s Time to Rethink Our Relationship with the Planet

I read this during my time at the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) courseware in 2022- and it stuck with me. Not just as a statistic, but as a reality that demands urgent reflection and action. That moment marked the start of a deeper journey for me: personally and professionally into the world of sustainability and climate responsibility.

The Wake-Up Call

Sustainability isn’t just about carbon emissions or green buildings. It’s about redefining how we measure progress, how we design systems, and how we relate to nature and each other. Through CISL, and more recently through my GRI Professional Certification, I’ve had the opportunity to explore what sustainable leadership truly means, and where the barriers to progress lie.

Myths vs. Reality in Sustainability

In the past couple of years, I’ve noticed that while sustainability is gaining traction, misconceptions are still widespread. Here are a few I’ve encountered:

Myth: Sustainability is just about the environment.

𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺: 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤—𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘨𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵.

Myth: ESG reporting is a checkbox exercise.

𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺: 𝘋𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵, 𝘌𝘚𝘎 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘤 𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘬 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨-𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘮 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦.

Myth: It’s only for big corporations.

𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺: 𝘐𝘯 𝘢 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘣𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘮𝘺, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴, 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺.

What is Holding Us Back?

Despite the momentum, our collective progress is slower than it should be. Why? Here’s what I’ve observed:

• Lack of clear guidance – Many companies want to do the right thing but don’t know where to start.

• Information overload – With too many standards, frameworks, and terminologies, the landscape is overwhelming.

• Low awareness or urgency – Even today, sustainability is often seen as a “future problem,” not a present priority.

• Unwillingness to acknowledge the trade-offs – Progress requires change, and that means discomfort.

  
  

What I have Learned So Far

From engaging with diverse sustainability frameworks, reading powerful case studies, and speaking with changemakers, here are three reflections I carry with me:

1. You don’t have to be perfect—just intentional. Every small step matters.

2. Sustainability is everyone’s business. It’s not just for climate scientists or policy makers.

3. Data must tell a story. Reporting is not about numbers alone—it’s about purpose and progress.

Looking Ahead

Over the next few months, I plan to share more reflections, ideas, and practical insights that can help demystify sustainability. If you are navigating your own sustainability path, or curious to learn more then I would love to connect, learn, and collaborate.

Feel free to leave a comment or message me if this resonates or if you’d like to share your own journey.

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