NORTHAMPTON, Mass., December 10, 2025 /3BL/ – Companies doing sustainability well are seeing measurable returns.
The gap between what research shows and what business leaders actually do is stark. Companies that integrate sustainability well achieve substantial financial gains:
- 36% increase in firm value
- 21% boosts in profitability
- 57% reduction in employee turnover
Yet many organizations remain skeptical. Steve Rocklin, founder and CEO of Impact ROI and lead author of the Project ROI Report series, has watched this skepticism persist for decades:
“I’ve been in the field for almost thirty years, and it’s sort of like back to the future for me because we’re hearing the same debate that I entered the field with. The argument goes: the business of business is business. Sustainability is not conventional business. It’s either taxation or regulation under a different name. And by definition, it does not create financial value.”
The data contradicts this narrative entirely.
What This Means Right Now
In today’s economic environment, companies face a critical choice: double down on sustainability as a competitive advantage, or cut back to preserve margins.
Most are cutting. Most are wrong.
The best financially performing companies actually lean into environmental and social performance during downturns, not away from it. They do this when facing huge competition and needing to differentiate. When the business cycle goes down and they need to climb back up, they lean in.
Why? Sustainability investments drive brand differentiation, employee retention, and stakeholder trust.
Get the Full Conversation
We’re offering early access to this exclusive conversation to business leaders, sustainability professionals, and corporate communicators who want to understand what actually works, and what doesn’t.
The interview features:
- Steven Rochlin, founder and CEO of Impact ROI.
- Dennis Duquette, Head of Community Responsibility, President & CEO of MassMutual Foundation.
- Mo McNally, Head of Engagement and Systems of Mass Mutual.
- Mary Mazzoni, Executive Editor of TriplePundit.
About 3BL
3BL is the leading sustainability and social impact communications partner, connecting organizations’ stories of purpose and progress with the audiences who matter most.
3BL partners with over 1,500 companies – from global corporations and mid-sized enterprises to NGOs and nonprofits – to elevate their reputations as players in the world of responsible business. We do this through unrivaled news and content distribution, bespoke storytelling support, and our digital media division, TriplePundit.
