I’m working on two major client projects at the minute, one on sustainability strategy and one on employee engagement – which between them make up the essentials of delivering sustainability, the formal process and the buy-in from all stakeholders. But there’s one subject which keeps bubbling to the fore in both – Leadership.

Without leadership, any ambitious sustainability targets will remain just ink on a page or pixels on a screen. The level of change required, the investment called for, the new business directions – none of this will happen without the process being driven from the top.

Without leadership, employees will simply not engage with the subject – whatever we might say, we look to our leaders for inspiration and direction. If leaders aren’t leading then we drift back to business as usual.

As an aside, I’ve always been slightly baffled that my first book, The Three Secrets of Green Business, which is oriented to operational practicalities, has always outsold my second, The Green Executive, which is aimed at the emerging generation of sustainability business leaders. Especially as it has 18 exclusive interviews with pioneers in the field, making sustainability happen at a leadership level. It’s a much more important book.

Because, at the end of the day, it’s a matter of no leadership, no sustainability.