Running On Sustainability: When Message Doesn’t Match The Moment

This post caught my attention — it captures a dynamic I’ve seen across many brands navigating growth, values & visibility.

My alma mater is celebrating 15 years of remarkable achievements, including significant leadership transitions. One of its two CEOs is departing, and new senior leaders — including a CPO + operations leaders — are joining.

With so much to mark, it’s understandable that the company would want to celebrate this chapter with a bold event for a team I KNOW is working hard. And as trainers, Catherine Sonolet, we both know the power of in-person brand experiences.

Yet there’s always a line to walk — between doing something big and making sure it still reflects what a brand says it believes in.

In 2019, Google’s climate summit in Sicily drew criticism for attendees arriving by private jet. The same at COP26 in 2021, where leaders and execs arrived via private aircraft to discuss climate action.

Similarly, when sustainability is publicly positioned as a core pillar of the business, the carbon impact from flying ~2,500 global teammates to an island facing environmental strain + local resistance to mass tourism — rather than gathering in Zurich, where most team members are based — will likely invite questions.

I’ve known this company as a well-intentioned brand and trust there could be thoughtful reasoning behind it. And, I know how external perceptions may not always align with internal intentions.

These conversations go beyond a single event — they shape how belief, trust & alignment show up in real teams & real moments.

From my experience as a brand trainer & consultant, I’ve seen how decisions like this ripple — not just publicly, but internally. They shape how teams engage with leadership messaging around other topics — like employee well-being, culture & values.

And they can quietly complicate the work of marketers telling a consistent story (and doing so beautifully, I might add), recruiters seeking values-aligned talent, and trainers trying to onboard new teammates into a brand culture without feeling the gap between the message and the moment.

Brand moments aren’t just about optics — they influence belief. Because just like with individuals, the way a brand does one thing shapes how people believe it does EVERYTHING.

…Or maybe I'm just a pinch jealous not there with my fab former colleagues!? 😉 Anyway, grateful for professional spaces like LinkedIn where we can have these kinds of candid conversations.