Perspectives · Leadership

Beyond Buzzwords: How We’re Missing the Point of Sustainability

Beyond Buzzwords: How We’re Missing the Point of Sustainability I need to get something off my chest that has been bothering me. It is the misuse of the word sustainability. The word is at risk (it may be too late) of becoming yet another hollow buzzword, much like “agile” was in the early 2000s. The trend is undeniable—companies attach “sustainable” to procurement, finance, innovation, and portfolios to signal relevance, but often without making any meaningful changes or having the ability to explain what exactly they mean by “sustainable”. Just as agile lost its impact when used carelessly, the careless use of “sustainability” risks undermining real progress toward environmental and social transformation. In this article, I examine how sustainability is being misused, drawing parallels to the pitfalls of the agile movement, and explore what needs to happen for organizations to embrace sustainability with integrity, and not just bolt “sustainable” in front of jargon or terms to make it sound better. The Buzzword Problem: Surface-Level Sustainability When terms like sustainable procurement, sustainable innovation, and sustainable portfolios are thrown around, they become marketing tools rather than drivers of genuine change. “Sustainable” Procurement Procurement departments frequently promote sustainable procurement by sourcing from “green” suppliers or using eco-friendly packaging. Yet, these efforts often fail to address deeper issues, such as the lifecycle impacts of materials, labor conditions, and long-term carbon footprints. Without embedding ethical sourcing and environmental stewardship into every step of the process, procurement remains largely the same—focused on cost and efficiency, not sustainability​​. For instance, choosing a vendor with recyclable packaging might make procurement seem “sustainable.” But if the product is manufactured using fossil fuels or involves unethical labor practices, it’s just greenwashing. “Sustainable” Innovation Companies love to tout sustainable innovation—highlighting minor tweaks to existing products to give them a “green” sheen. Think of a smartphone company promoting a new energy-saving feature but continuing to source materials from environmentally destructive mining operations. True sustainable innovation demands reimagining entire systems and business models—not simply making incremental changes that allow business as usual to continue​. An example? Some tech companies market their new products as sustainable because they reduce power consumption by a few percentage points. However, these same products may still contribute to e-waste, rely on non-recyclable materials, and involve exploitative labor in their supply chains. “Sustainable” Portfolios Project management offices (PMOs) are increasingly branding their portfolios as sustainable by including a handful of green initiatives. But too often, these “sustainable” projects exist alongside others that perpetuate harmful practices. For example, a real estate firm might promote sustainable developments that use solar energy while continuing to build projects that are the bare minimum energy efficiency and with a high carbon footprint. To illustrate my point, I did some digging around the Internet with the help of Google. Here’s some of the buzzwords I found:

• Sustainable Change Management
• Sustainable Design Thinking
• Collective Sensemaking for Sustainability (huh?)
• Sustainable Project Termination Criteria
• Sustainable Agile Leadership

Real sustainable portfolios require a comprehensive approach—where sustainability principles govern every project, not just the ones with obvious environmental or social benefits. By slapping the “sustainable” label onto processes, projects, and products, organisations are hoping to capture attention, sound like they are up to date, or know what they are talking about when they clearly don’t… and of course be relevant or to meet stakeholder expectations. Lessons from the Agile Movement: When Words Become Empty Promises The misuse of “sustainability” closely mirrors what happened with agile. Agile originally emphasized collaboration, adaptability, and incremental progress. But as the concept gained traction, organizations started adding “agile” to their vocabulary without changing their ways of working. Just doing a quick google search I found a few great examples.

• Agile Governance: Weekly meetings labeled “agile governance” but still driven by top-down control, lacking real empowerment for teams.
• Agile Budgeting: Annual budgets with a small degree of flexibility—still operating under traditional financial constraints.
• Agile Transformation: Entire divisions rebranded as agile while maintaining rigid hierarchies and outdated processes.

The result was "agile in name only," leaving teams frustrated with the additional bureaucracy and no real agility. Sustainability runs the same risk: without genuine transformation, the word “sustainable” will become another hollow corporate buzzword, much like agile did​​. Why This Matters: Missing the Point of Sustainability The consequences of buzzword inflation are serious. When sustainability becomes a branding exercise, companies miss the opportunity to address real environmental and social challenges. Projects become performative, designed to meet the bare minimum compliance standards, rather than delivering meaningful impact. Over time, stakeholders—whether customers, employees, or investors—see through the façade, eroding trust and damaging reputations. Just as the misuse of “agile” led to skepticism about transformation initiatives, the overuse of “sustainable” risks creating cynicism around genuine sustainability efforts​. Organizations must resist the temptation to treat sustainability as a branding exercise. Here’s how they can focus on real, impactful change:

1. Set Clear, Measurable Goals

Align sustainability initiatives with established frameworks, such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or GPM’s P5 Standard. Sustainability needs to be integrated into not only to the projects ouputs but also the management of the project. Organisationally, sustainability needs to be infused into the business’s DNA: in performance indicators, governance frameworks, and strategy—not just in name, but in practice​​.

1. Measure Impact, Not Labels

Rather than focusing on rebranding processes, measure tangible outcomes like emissions reductions, waste management, and social impact. This is about walking the walk and demonstrate real progress through transparent reporting on real data. Talking the talk does not cut it. Only with demonstrated progress on sustainability efforts can an organisation be seen as credible. Anything less is simply greenwashing.

1. Commit to Systemic Change

Sustainability demands more than a few green projects, publishing a blog post that use a few buzzwords. It requires rethinking entire systems—whether that’s transforming supply chains, redesigning products, or shifting corporate priorities. Sustainable procurement, for example, means collaborating with suppliers to reduce emissions and ensure fair labor conditions, not just choosing eco-friendly vendors.

1. Engage Stakeholders Authentically

Authentic sustainability requires open dialogue with all stakeholders—customers, employees, investors, and communities. Honest communication about challenges and setbacks builds trust and accountability, reinforcing the organization’s commitment to real change​. It’s Time to Move Beyond Labels. The time for superficial sustainability is over. Just as “agile” lost its meaning through misuse, sustainability risks becoming another empty buzzword if organizations don’t take it seriously. Adding “sustainable” to business processes without substantive change does more harm than good, creating the illusion of progress while real issues remain unaddressed. Just as the misuse of “agile” diminished its value, overusing sustainability as a buzzword risks trivializing efforts to address urgent environmental and social challenges. Organizations and project managers have a unique opportunity to lead the charge for meaningful sustainability. But this requires more than clever branding—it demands action, accountability, and a willingness to rethink the way business is done. The time to move beyond labels and deliver real impact is now. Let’s make sure sustainability doesn’t go the way of agile—another empty promise lost to buzzword inflation.