Redefining Sustainability: From Corporate Commitments to System Outcomes

For much of the past two decades, corporate sustainability has been defined as a list of targets, initiatives and disclosures. Companies measured their success by tons of emissions reduced, gallons of water saved and the number of ESG reports produced. While these measures have been valuable, they do not fully capture how sustainability must evolve in a fast-changing world.

We are living in a world shaped by complexity: rising demand for energy, food, and water; rapid technological transformation; and the importance of driving development while protecting our environments. None of these challenges exist in isolation. They overlap, reinforce one another, and increasingly test the resilience of communities, economies, and institutions.

This is why sustainability must evolve into a design principle for how entire systems operate –across energy, finance, technology, and society at large. And why this is reflected in the 2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week theme: The Nexus of Next – All Systems Go.

From ESG to progress powered by purpose

Many organizations still see sustainability primarily as a risk-management exercise: comply, disclose, report, repeat. But the true test of sustainability is not whether a company’s spreadsheet looks better than last year. It is whether our shared systems – the grids that power cities, the supply chains that feed nations, the financial mechanisms that enable growth and the protection of nature and biodiversity – become stronger, more adaptive, and more equitable.

This shift is especially critical in the energy sector. Global power demand is rising at an unprecedented rate, driven by electrification, digitalization, and economic growth in emerging markets. Billions seek reliable energy and prosperity, while AI is demanding as much power as entire nations. This isn't just growth, it’s fundamentally defining our future.

With energy systems evolving, ADNOC is accelerating progress, creating value, and maximizing positive impact: what we call “Progress Powered by Purpose”. Those who lead, and who will shape our collective future, understand that energy, intelligence, and human progress are inseparable.

Sustainability with a big S

In this context, the role of the Chief Sustainability Officer is transforming into becoming an architect of strategy and a broker of collaboration.

At ADNOC, we believe in “Sustainability with a big S”, a broad, human-centered approach that goes beyond environmental goals. It means delivering energy in ways that support people, strengthen communities, and drive inclusive growth. Built on delivery rather than aspiration, our 2030 Sustainability Strategy brings together climate action, environmental stewardship, and social sustainability within a balanced, long-term vision.

Crucially, this approach recognizes that sustainability is measured not in promises, but in performance. It means investing in people and communities by developing talent, promoting wellbeing, and strengthening local supply chains to ensure that progress is shared, resilient, and empowers thriving communities.

As chair of the CSO Network, I see this shift every day. Leaders across sectors are recognizing that sustainability is deeply intertwined with competitiveness, innovation, capital allocation, and long-term value creation. They cannot deliver meaningful results alone, no matter how strong their internal programs are.

But how do we redefine sustainability in a way that is actionable, investable, and aligned with real-world needs?

Redefinition does not mean lowering ambition. It means grounding intent in execution, ensuring that every commitment is tied to measurable outcomes and system-level benefits.

Aligning capital with capability

One of the most significant barriers to progress is not the lack of ideas. It is the gap between capital and capability.

We must develop new models that blend public, private, and development finance, backed by transparent frameworks that reward long-term resilience over short-term returns. We must also ensure capital flows not only to mature economies but also fast-growing regions that will shape the future of global demand.

Success depends on connecting financial innovation with technological readiness and policy clarity; three systems that have not always worked together historically.

Artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, automation, and digital twins are already transforming how energy systems perform. At ADNOC, we are harnessing advanced technologies and AI to optimize efficiency, decarbonize more effectively, and equip our workforce with future-ready skills.

This has resulted in optimized production, waste reduction, safety improvements and enabled predictive decision-making across our entire value chain. AI and advanced technologies also play a powerful role in integrating renewable energy and stabilizing increasingly complex grids.

From promises to proof

Ultimately, redefining sustainability means moving beyond declarations. It means asking, in every boardroom:

• What value are we creating for society, not only shareholders?
• How are we strengthening the resilience of the systems we depend on?
• Where are we collaborating instead of competing, and who is still missing from the table?

The companies and countries that lead the next decade will be those that integrate sustainability into the core operating logic of their systems. It will not be an add-on. They will see it as the engine of innovation, competitiveness, and stability.

Global platforms such as Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week exist to accelerate that shift. If sustainability started as a promise, it now calls for proof. And that proof will be measured by how our collective systems serve people, planet, and prosperity more effectively than they do today – the very essence of “Progress Powered by Purpose”.