sustainability strategy implementation
You have a sustainability strategy, but the organisation is moving in different directions
“You’ve done the work. The strategy is clear, and the targets are defined. But internally, progress is patchy and depends on how hard you push it.”
Change management and implementation support to turn a bolt-on sustainability or ESG strategy into a genuine commercial priority.
sustainability strategy implementation
You have a sustainability strategy, but the organisation is moving in different directions
“You’ve done the work. The strategy is clear, and the targets are defined. But internally, progress is patchy and depends on how hard you push it.”
Change management and implementation support to turn a bolt-on sustainability or ESG strategy into a genuine commercial priority.
The reality
The challenge isn’t your strategy.
It’s getting people to understand and act on it
It’s lonely carrying this work yourself. If you’re leading sustainability solo, this may feel familiar:
- Teams say sustainability is important; it doesn’t translate into action
- You struggle to connect sustainability to commercial decisions
- You find it hard to ‘talk sustainability’ outside of your ‘echo chamber’
- Decisions about the direction of your strategy happen without you
- You often feel overwhelmed, overworked, and pulled in too many directions
Left like this, sustainability stays a reporting exercise, or a giant programme, carried by one person.
You’re not lacking sustainability expertise
The gap isn’t your expertise. It’s organisational resistance, and that takes change management to close it
THE MISSION
To turn sustainability and ESG strategy into company-wide action that strengthens culture, builds reputation, and drives commercial results.
If your challenge is building the leadership capability to transition to a sustainable business, explore my Sustainability Leadership Coaching service.
Why is this happening
COMPETING PRIORITIES
Sustainability has to fight for space alongside every other business pressure:
- operational urgencies push it down the list
- commercial goals pull focus elsewhere
- progress depends on who has bandwidth that week
Bolt-on, not built-in
Sustainability sits outside the metrics, budgets and objectives the business lives by:
- it isn’t wired into what gets measured
- it gets overlooked for what gets resourced
- sustainability loses out by default, not by design
Arms-length leadership
Sustainability is misunderstood by the people with the most influence:
- they are less visible and proactive, this affects perceived importance
- it stays disconnected from the decisions that drive operations
- it’s often treated as an afterthought, instead of a tool for intelligent business
Ready, but not resourced
You have a small team or champion network, but something is still missing:
- people lack the confidence to put their sustainability knowledge to use
- they have little authority or autonomy to act
- they’re missing the development to grow into a meaningful sustainability role
Who is
this for?
Professionals with a ‘sustainability hat’ who need a supported approach to delivery
Leaders struggling with resistance, slow adoption, or lack of engagement
Sustainability leads with a champion team that they are struggling to activate
Your Guide
I’m Briony Pete. Leadership coach, people strategist, and engagement specialist with 15+ years in sustainable development, focused on people, culture, and behaviour change. I founded The Circular Life on a resounding belief: “Strategies don’t create change; people do. And we need to start investing in how they grow.”
My approach combines:
- Implementation coaching. A dual focus on the person and their strategy or responsibilities
- Culture, systems and behaviour change. A toolbox of processes and techniques that shift how people work together
- Leadership development and capability building. Build the conditions for lasting growth in people, teams and organisations.
I blend sustainability implementation with culture change and leadership development so you don’t just know what to build, you know how to lead it too.
ICF Accredited
5+ years coaching
People strategist
YOUR Guide
ICF Accredited
I’m Briony Pete. Leadership coach, people strategist, and engagement specialist with 15+ years in sustainable development, focused on people, culture, and behaviour change. I founded The Circular Life on a resounding belief:
“Strategies don’t create change; people do. And we need to start investing in how they grow.”
My approach combines:
- Implementation coaching. A dual focus on the person and their strategy or responsibilities
- Culture, systems and behaviour change. A toolbox of processes and techniques that shift how people work together
- Leadership development and capability building. Building the conditions for lasting growth in people, teams and organisations.
I blend sustainability implementation with culture change and leadership development so you don’t just know what to build, you know how to lead it too.
Your Toolbox for Change
Strategic direction and sustainability change management
A bespoke blend of 1:1 support, facilitation and alignment work, shaped around your organisation’s specific challenges.
Guided 1:1 Support
with regular strategic direction and leadership alignment sessions
Culture & behaviour change
and engagement tools and practices
Leadership Coaching
Capability buidling for individuals and teams
Multi-team workshops
and facilitation helping teams co-design and take ownership
sustainability prioritisation
accountability and decision making frameworks
How it works
From strategy deep dives and team training to 12-month comprehensive support programmes.
Talk to us about your support needs –>
“It’s about people, processes, systems, and culture. Knowing how to nudge and when to nurture them all into alignment.”
The shift you’ll experience
Direction
Clear priorities, purposeful decisions, and meaningful action
Heavy ambition
operational Clarity
progress
Alignment
Shared priorities, unified decisions, and collective ownership
Disconnected
shared direction
Cohesion
commitment
Peer involvement, co-design, and shared meaning.
passive support
active ownership
shared
The transformation
Before
- The Sustainability Lead carries the agenda alone
- Leadership support is reactive, not consistent
- Teams support from a distance, but rarely step in
- Sustainability sits apart from commercial decisions and priorities clash
AFTER
- Sustainability shapes how the company operates
- Leadership backs sustainability because it’s good business, not just good ethics
- Business credibility grows. You’re ahead of the curve, not catching up
- The company owns the journey with you
Business impact
- ESG initiatives move faster, and targets arrive sooner
- Environmental credentials win procurement contracts, and continuous improvement keeps them coming
- Sustainability’s cultural shift lifts other parts of the business
- Your investment in the team’s leadership development shows
What the client says
Gabriella Weeks
Sleek Events
Supplier & Sustainability Lead
“Coaching sessions provide clear guidance that helps me navigate challenges, stay focused, and bring others with me. Having a strategic partner to test ideas with has been crucial for building confidence and securing buy-in.“
The strategic work created immediate momentum – finding gaps, aligning departments, and strengthening engagement.
We’re already seeing tangible shifts, from the Growth Team integrating sustainability, better cross-department collaboration, and a rise in confidence and motivation from our Champion Team. The programme has given me the clarity, structure and support to meaningfully move the dial across the business.”
“A worthwhile investment, and I thoroughly recommend Briony to all of my network.”
James Colley
NHS South East London
Sustainability Lead
“We engaged The Circular Life (Briony) to support the refresh of our Net Zero Green Plan, following a strong recommendation. Briony brought a perspective that complemented and challenged our internal strengths, helped us step back and reconnect with our wider purpose, and reframed our objectives – identifying the key catalysts for meaningful change.“
With a deep understanding of the complexities of delivering net zero, Briony quickly grasped our context, our barriers, and the factors influencing our success. She then applied an impressive, practical toolkit to move us forward — from developing clear frameworks that sharpen programme delivery to examining the behaviours that drive wider organisational action.”
“Briony knows exactly what we need, provides thoughtful challenge, and supports sensitively. She has been both a strategic partner and a hands-on contributor when it matters most.””
Kelly Hobson
Sustainable Logistics LIVE (SLL)
MD, Shape Tomorrow
Founder,
“Briony has been a keynote speaker at both our Leeds and London Sustainable Logistics LIVE events in 2025, and she has been an absolute pleasure to work with.”
“What stands out about Briony is her ability to tailor her content perfectly to the objectives of the day and the needs of the audience. She’s engaging, personable, and highly knowledgeable, not just in sustainability theory, but in how to apply it in practice.
She truly understands the challenges organisations and individuals face when it comes to turning ambition into action, and her sessions always strike the right balance between inspiration and actionable insight.”
“I’d highly recommend Briony as a keynote for any event that aims to move sustainability beyond discussion and drive real, meaningful change.”
Rebecca waters
NHS North East London
Net Zero Lead
“With her help, we have meaningfully engaged a large and varied group of stakeholders at pace and produced a thoughtful and well-developed Green Plan. And the coaching programmes have benefited multiple partners across a large, integrated health & care system.”
Working with Briony and The Circular Life is an engaging, collaborative, and supportive experience.
She has provided real value and support for our netzero work in NE London and offers excellent value for money, enabling us to motivate and inspire staff from the outset.”
“Briony works with kindness and compassion while challenging and helping us to think differently about how we work today and in the future.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What is sustainability strategy implementation?
It is a tailored suite of tools, processes, and frameworks, along with coaching-inspired guidance, to help you turn ESG and sustainability strategy into real organisational action. We focus on leadership alignment, stakeholder engagement, and operational integration.
What is sustainability change management?
Sustainability change management focuses on overcoming resistance, aligning processes, and embedding sustainability into how organisations make decisions and operate. We have a toolbox of techniques for you to access and implement.
How is this different from sustainability consulting?
Consulting focuses on an external resource that designs and delivers a strategy.
Our work focuses on building capabilities in you and your company, ensuring your strategy is adopted, aligned, and implemented, while embedding the knowledge into how your company operates moving forward.
Is this relevant for SMEs?
Yes. In smaller organisations, this often focuses on leadership alignment and building capability beyond one sustainability lead. In larger organisations with bigger sustainability teams, the focus tends to be more on building the team and workforce capabilities.
Can I combine the services?
Yes. Many clients working on sustainability implementation programmes also benefit from leadership coaching. This might include occasional coaching sessions, a short programme, or coaching-inspired team development. We can assess your needs during the discovery call. Talk to us and find the right combination for you.
Why is “Mindset” critical for reaching netzero goals?
Organisations often create sustainability roles without understanding the psychological and cultural depth required for a netzero transition. A mindset shift allows leaders to move from “siloed efforts” to company-wide impact. By leaning on neuroscience and systems change, leaders can influence without resistance and build a culture where everyone embraces sustainability.