Sustainability has shifted from a compliance cost to a genuine source of growth and competitive advantage. The businesses leading on environmental, social and governance issues are increasingly the same ones winning customers, attracting talent and growing fastest.

Here is what the latest data tells us about the commercial case for sustainability and ESG in UK business in 2026.

The net zero economy is outpacing the rest

The UK’s net zero economy generates around £83 billion in gross value added and grew roughly 10% in a single year, around three times faster than the wider economy, according to CBI Economics research. Far from being a drag on growth, the green economy is one of its fastest-moving parts.

That growth rate matters. While much of the economy has struggled for momentum, sustainability-focused businesses have been expanding quickly, which tells you where a good deal of the next decade’s opportunity is likely to be.

Jobs, wages and ripple effects

The sector now spans tens of thousands of businesses employing close to a million people, the large majority of them small and medium-sized firms, and tends to pay above the national average wage.

Its impact ripples outward, with every pound of value generated creating substantial additional value in the wider economy. Sustainability, in other words, is not a cost centre bolted onto the economy; it is increasingly part of its engine.

Purpose as a competitive advantage

Beyond the headline numbers, a growing community of purpose-led businesses, including the certified B Corporations tracked by B Lab UK, is proving that strong ESG practice can win customers, attract talent and build resilience.

Customers increasingly prefer brands whose values they share, and employees, particularly younger ones, increasingly choose employers on the same basis. Purpose and profit are no longer a trade-off so much as a partnership.

Proving the commercial case

The businesses that benefit most are those that can evidence impact and connect it to commercial success: carbon reduced, waste removed, communities helped, and the customers, talent and growth that followed.

Sustainability is most powerful when it is measured, not merely stated. Vague commitments persuade no one; specific, verified outcomes build trust with customers, investors and award judges alike.

Recognising purpose and impact

The Social & Sustainable Impact Award and the Purpose Beyond Profit Award celebrate businesses proving that impact and commercial success reinforce each other. Our guide on how to win the Social & Sustainable Impact Award explains the criteria, and the complete guide to UK business awards sets out the full programme.

Entries for the 2026 awards close at midnight on Friday 3 July. If your business is making a measurable impact, enter and be recognised for it.