OECD finds 91% of companies report sustainability data 📊
Issue #14 of Top Picks in Strategy and Sustainability.
Hi There! 🌍
This week’s Sustainability Roundup spotlights how nations and companies are redefining sustainability as a lever of strategy and influence. From China’s push to merge clean energy with digital innovation to the OECD’s insight on the widening gap between reporting and results and Mexico’s invitation for global renewable investment, momentum is shifting from promises to performance. ✨🌱
1. China dives deep: the world’s first wind-powered subsea data centre. ⚡💧
China has activated its first commercial underwater data centre, powered almost entirely by offshore wind and cooled by seawater to cut electricity use by 22.8 percent, eliminate fresh water use and reduce land occupation by over 90 percent. Strategically, this move positions China at the intersection of digital sovereignty and clean energy leadership, showcasing how infrastructure innovation can serve both climate goals and technological dominance while signalling to global competitors that sustainability itself is becoming a lever of national power and industrial strategy.
2. OECD finds 91 % of listed companies now disclose sustainability related information. 📊💼
According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) 2025 Global Corporate Sustainability Report, 91 % of listed companies now disclose sustainability related information, and 81 % of these disclosures are externally assured. The surge reflects growing transparency and investor expectations, yet it also exposes a widening gap between what companies report and what they actually achieve, raising the bar for translating disclosure maturity into measurable sustainability performance.
3. Mexico seeks US $7.14 billion for renewable energy projects. ☀️🤝
Mexico’s energy ministry (SENER) has announced a call for private investment to deploy roughly 5,970 MW of renewable capacity across six regions, aiming to lift renewables’ share of the national energy mix from 22 % to 38 %. More than a green investment drive, this marks a strategic exchange move inviting global investors and technology partners to co-shape Mexico’s energy transition and positioning the country as a regional hub for low carbon growth collaboration.
Sustainability today is about adaptability, not checklists. 🌍 Drawing from the System Dynamics Model for Dynamic Capability–Driven Sustainability Management (Bayu, Berhan & Ebinger, 2022 et al), organisations that learn to sense, seize, and transform within dynamic feedback loops build more resilient sustainability performance than those pursuing one-off compliance goals.
Here’s how enterprises can activate that cycle:
• Sense: Continuously scan for policy, market, and resource signals to anticipate sustainability pressures. 🔍
• Seize: Channel insights into partnerships, technology investments, and green innovation before competitors. ⚙️
• Transform: Reinforce learning and collaboration loops to reconfigure operations and sustain long-term advantage. 🔄
The study shows that sustainability outcomes evolve through feedback effects and capability growth follows an S-curve, and timely interventions such as employee training or stakeholder collaboration accelerate impact. The message is clear: agility and timing matter as much as ambition. Read the full study here.
Image Courtesy: Fig. 2 - SD Conceptual Model, Bayu et al. (2022).
Listen to sustainability leaders Ida Pernille Hatlebrekke and Brita Staal explore how hope can evolve from optimism to action. 🌿
Blending science, philosophy, and personal experience, they reveal how grounded hope can reignite purpose and resilience for leaders facing the climate crisis. 🌍✨
Last week’s poll results show that while 75% of respondents believe stricter enforcement is key to improving Delhi’s air quality, 25% emphasise the need for cultural change. This suggests that long-term success demands a dual strategy firm regulation supported by collective civic responsibility. 🌆🤝 Read our last issue here.
Missed our recent issues? Catch up anytime by reading our full archive here 📖.
That’s it for today’s roundup! We’ll see you next Thursday with another set of inspiring sustainability news and updates. Until then, take a moment to reflect on how you can adopt one new sustainable practice this week. Every small step counts! 🌍✨
Have any thoughts or a sustainable practice you'd like to share? Share your feedback here.
Together, we can make a difference. See you in the next edition of the Sustainability Roundup!