Sustainable Influence: How Employees Shape ESG
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Most ESG decisions aren’t made in boardrooms. They’re made in budget reviews, supplier shortlists, onboarding sessions and project meetings. Long before a sustainability report is written, ordinary professionals are already shaping what’s possible. That quiet power has a name: sustainable influence.
Sustainable influence is the quiet, everyday power employees have to shape how their organisation shows up on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues—long before anything reaches a board paper or sustainability report.
For years, sustainability was treated as a specialist function. Appoint a Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO), publish targets, run an annual report. Necessary—but no longer sufficient.
Across Australia and the APAC region, ESG has shifted from a “nice to have” to a material driver of trust, talent and growth. As that shift accelerates, employees are no longer just a target audience for ESG communications. They’re becoming one of the most influential stakeholder groups inside organisations.
Research consistently shows why:
Around 60–70% of workers globally say they choose employers based on beliefs and values, including ESG performance [Source: Deloitte].
In a Deloitte survey, 80% of C-suite leaders said employee activism is already affecting their sustainability plans (or soon will), and 59% increased sustainability efforts because of it [Source: Deloitte].
Edelman’s Trust Barometer shows roughly two-thirds of people factor ESG records into decisions to buy from, recommend or engage with organisations [Source: Edelman].
In other words, culture is now strategy—especially when it comes to sustainability.
Sustainable influence is not a role. It’s the cumulative effect of everyday choices.
What employees actually want from ESG
There’s a persistent myth that employees care more about ESG than pay, progression, or wellbeing. The evidence tells a more nuanced story.
This gap is where sustainable influence lives. Employees want ESG to be integrated, not idealistic—linked to fair pay, career pathways, workload, psychological safety and skills development.
Middle managers and team leaders are uniquely placed to close that gap because they translate strategy into lived experience.
How “ordinary” professionals quietly shape ESG
Most ESG decisions are made far from formal sustainability strategies.
None of this requires a new governance structure. It requires permission, capability and consistency.
The business case for sustainable influence
When employees are empowered to shape ESG decisions, organisations see tangible benefits—not just reputational wins.
According to Deloitte:
Employee morale, well-being, recruitment and retention rank among the top benefits of sustainability efforts for C-suite leaders [Source: Deloitte].
PwC’s data shows:
Improvements to ESG policies significantly increase employees’ intent to stay, with especially strong effects in Asia-Pacific [Source: PwC].
And across studies:
Seven in ten workers say a stronger commitment to human sustainability would improve their experience, engagement, productivity and trust in leadership [Source: Deloitte].
Sustainable influence reduces the gap between what organisations say and what employees see.
Practical moves for everyday ESG shapers
Action | Do | Show | Measure |
Start where you already have control | Review procurement thresholds, project criteria, KPIs and reporting templates. | Name ESG considerations explicitly in decision documents. | Track how often ESG criteria influence final decisions. |
Make ESG tangible | Link climate and social goals to issues people care about—meaningful work, flexibility, wellbeing, skills. | Use real examples from your own operations. | Pulse-check employee understanding and relevance. |
Build coalitions, not campaigns | Partner with HR, finance and risk. | Align language and metrics across functions. | Assess whether initiatives survive leadership or budget changes. |
How to measure success
Sustainable influence is subtle—but measurable.
Everyday ESG Influence Checklist
✅Where do I make decisions that affect suppliers, people or risk?
✅What defaults could be made more sustainable?
✅Which partners (HR, finance, risk) could amplify this?
✅How is ESG showing up in onboarding or learning?
✅What metrics already exist that could reflect ESG impact?
✅Where is the perception gap between leaders and teams?
Sustainable influence is rarely loud or linear — but when everyday professionals are supported to act with intent, it becomes the most durable force shaping how organisations meet their ESG responsibilities.