Green Monday 2026: Closing the gap between sustainability strategy and action

The third Monday in January is widely known as Blue Monday, often described as the most depressing day of the year. Three years ago, we decided to challenge that narrative. Green Monday is an opportunity to reconnect with sustainability in a positive and action-led way.  

For Green Monday 2026, that conversation took the form of a webinar: Closing the Gap – Turning Sustainability Strategy into Everyday Employee Action. We welcomed Karen Richards, Corporate Communications Director, and Victoria Page, Business and Sustainability Strategist, to join Sally Pritchett, CEO of Something Big, to explore a shared challenge many organisations are facing. What emerged was a clearer picture of why sustainability efforts lose momentum and how communication can help to either widen or close that gap. 

Why sustainability strategies stall 

Sustainability is complex and hard to translate into everyday action

Sustainability is inherently complex. It is systems-based, long term and interconnected, touching everything from supply chains to behaviours to culture. Translating that complexity into clear, everyday action is difficult, especially when people are already stretched. 

Most organisations are not short on ambition or intent. In fact, many have a deep reservoir of goodwill within their workforces. What stalls progress is friction. Too many moving parts, too much information and too little clarity about what matters most.  

Overload dilutes action

Employees are already navigating constant information flow, shifting priorities and multiple internal messages competing for attention. In that environment, sustainability becomes one priority among many. Even when people care deeply, overload makes it harder to know what to do, when to do it and how sustainability fits into their role. Intention does not translate into action because people are protecting their time, energy and focus. This is where the gap between strategy and reality widens.  

Trust has been eroded

Sustainability does not sit outside the wider context. Shifting political narratives, perceived rollbacks and economic pressure all influence how sustainability messages are received. At the same time, trust in institutions, leadership and brands has been eroded over time. That makes people more sceptical of big claims and polished language. When ambition is communicated without visible progress, credibility suffers. 

As one insight from the discussion captured, action is what proves intent. 

Language creates distance

Sustainability has a language problem. Acronyms, frameworks and technical terminology can create distance, even for people who are knowledgeable and committed. Over time, that language can lead to fatigue rather than engagement. 

One of the clearest insights from the conversation was that relevance matters more than precision. Employees want to understand what sustainability means for them, in their role, today. Organisations that lead with benefit and relevance, rather than terminology, are often more successful at building connection and momentum. 

Perfection slows progress

Many organisations wait to communicate until data is complete, plans are final and success feels guaranteed. The result is delay, silence or messaging that says very little at all. In 2026, courage and honesty must be louder than perfection. Communicating progress, barriers and even uncertainty builds credibility. It shows honesty and respect, and it helps people see sustainability as a journey rather than a finished product. Silence can erode trust just as much as over-communication. 

Focus beats volume

When it comes to behaviour change, volume rarely works, but focus does. 

Public health campaigns have understood this for years. We all know that eating ten portions of fruit and vegetables a day would be better for us than five, but that message would overwhelm most people. So, the guidance became simpler – eat five a day, not because it was perfect, but because it was achievable. 

The same principle applies to sustainability at work. Employees are not short on awareness, they understand the scale of the challenge and the urgency behind it. What they struggle with is knowing where to start and what action will genuinely make a difference. Too often, sustainability communication tries to cover everything at once and the result is not momentum, but fatigue. 

Behaviour change works best when the ask is clear, specific and repeated. One focused action is far more effective than a long list of well-meaning intentions. What is the one thing you actually want people to do this year? 

What sustainability communication needs in 2026 

As organisations look ahead, one thing is becoming increasingly clear. Progress on sustainability will not come from saying more. It will come from saying less, and saying it better. If we want to close the gap between ambition and action, the shift required is not subtle. 

What 2026 needs is a different balance: less noise, fewer buzzwords, less bland over-polished messaging, less waiting for perfection. 

And more of what actually builds momentum: trust, courage, relevance, focus. 

Consistent, well-considered communication will not solve every sustainability challenge. But it can help close the gap between strategy and action within our organisations. It can also reduce overload by giving people fewer, clearer signals about what really matters. If sustainability is to move forward, communication has to help people see themselves in the story and believe that their actions count. 

If you are navigating how to communicate sustainability in a way that builds trust and drives real action, we can help. 

Watch the webinar: Closing the Gap – Turning Sustainability Strategy into Everyday Employee Action