What We Learned at EarthX: Four Themes That Are Reshaping the Sustainability Conversation

At Marshall Sustainability, we make a point of getting out of the office and into the rooms where the sustainability conversation is actually happening. This spring, that meant EarthX in Dallas, Texas. For those unfamiliar, EarthX bills itself as a "Congress of Conferences," and the format lives up to the name: this year brought together over 18 individual conferences under one roof, from the BioEconomy for Climate, Innovation, and Economic Growth summit to the Climate Restoration Summit to Circular America. The result was an unusually wide cross-section of industries, disciplines, and perspectives that might never have shared a room otherwise. The hardest part was choosing which sessions to attend, but we went in with an open mind, took in as much as we could, and came away with a handful of themes that are already shaping how we approach our work.

The biggest barrier to climate progress isn't solutions. It's communication.

This is something we talk about with clients constantly, and it was validating to hear it echoed across multiple sessions at EarthX. Research has shown that the primary barrier to implementing existing climate solutions isn't technology or funding. It's communication and a lack of outcome understanding among the people who need to act on them. “The truth is that a lot of messages that come out are too alarmist which can lead to apathy,” said Elizabeth Gray, CEO of the National Audubon Society. “We need to match that urgency, with optimism to give people hope. Make it relatable and make people understand how it impacts their daily lives.”

This is exactly why we approach sustainability work the way we do. The technical side matters, but if you can't translate what the data means for your audience, whether that's a customer, a community, or a boardroom, the work loses its impact. The most effective climate messaging leads with a vision of why this matters now, focuses on outcomes for the audience rather than the organization, and always meets people with empathy. Understanding the resistance isn't an obstacle to the work, it is the work.

The circular economy needs a rebranding, and better infrastructure.

With more and more states adopting EPR laws, Right to Repair laws, and circularity being embedded in the EU’s CSRD, circularity is top of mind for many sustainability teams.  Danielle Holly of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation made a point we've seen play out firsthand: the phrase "circular economy" now carries political baggage that can shut down a conversation before it starts. “Language gets in the way, people think Circularity means environmental and that is politicized,” she said. “Instead we need to think about what we want in systems change and process change and use those words, we can’t be precious with language.” The reframe we're taking back to our clients is simpler and harder to argue with: critical materials are running out, costs are rising, and secondary solutions aren't optional anymore. That isn’t just a good-to-do for the environment, it’s a business case.

Corporate sustainability isn't dead. But the old playbook is.

Andrew Winston, co-author of Net Positive, spoke about the evolution of corporate sustainability and how we are still learning. He didn't pretend the moment is simple: emissions are still rising, the majority of programs haven't delivered ROI, and certain language has become politically charged. But the trajectory on clean energy is real. EVs represent 50 percent of new vehicle sales in China and clean energy is beginning to replace transportation fuel, not just electricity. "We are seeing emissions rise and we are getting better at this,” he said. “It can both be true." 

What this means for our clients is that sustainability can't be treated as a compliance exercise anymore. The companies investing in it as a long-term strategy will be better positioned than those waiting for the political climate to settle.

The best sustainability work happens outside your comfort zone.

If there was one theme woven through all three days, it was this: the sustainability movement has spent too much time in rooms full of people who already agree. The most effective work we saw was happening at the edges, where interests overlap even when values don't perfectly align. Audubon working with ranchers to show that healthy land means more cattle and more profit. Food system advocates connecting health insurance access to the growth of the local food economy. Explorers finding on-ramps for kids who have never had access to the natural world.

This is something we bring to our own work. Sustainability isn't a niche conversation anymore, and the clients making the most progress are the ones willing to meet new audiences on their terms, speak their language, and find the shared interest that opens the door. Many people haven't joined this conversation simply because no one offered them a way in. 

The conversation doesn't stop here.

Every theme we heard at EarthX, from communication strategy to circular systems to building broader coalitions, is something we work on with our clients every day. The organizations making the most progress right now aren't waiting for the perfect political moment or the perfect language. They're moving, iterating, and finding partners who share their goals even if not their vocabulary.

If any of these topics are on your radar, whether you're rethinking how you talk about your sustainability work, navigating new reporting requirements, or trying to figure out how circularity fits into your business strategy, we'd love to talk. Reach out and let's find the shared interest that opens the door.