The problem, he argues, isn’t a lack of sustainability strategies. It’s a lack of engagement and integration.
“When you’re head of sustainability, you’re really head of change management,” Debenham told CocoaRadar. “The job is about engaging the rest of the business so strategies are implemented at speed and scale — with maximum benefit and minimum cost.”
From Niche Advantage to Business Driver
In the past decade, Barry Callebaut set a benchmark by embedding sustainability within its financial reporting — a move that signalled to investors and stakeholders that sustainability is not a side project but core to business resilience.
Today, Debenham says, most companies acknowledge sustainability as a mainstream business driver. Yet too often, sustainability teams remain isolated, perceived as “the people who deal with that.”
“The days of throwing money at the problem are over,” he says. “Companies need embedded approaches where sustainability is part of everyday decision-making. Ultimately, you shouldn’t need a separate sustainability department at all.”
A New Tool for Engagement
To break through this mindset, Debenham and business partner Chris Walters, Head of Organisational Change, have launched a new e-learning platform under their consultancy, Sustainability Solutions.
They describe it as an “Exchange Management and Engagement tool” designed to:
- demystify the often jargon-heavy language of sustainability,
- help employees understand the business case for sustainability,
- and connect sustainability strategies directly to individual roles.
The programme offers eight courses with four modules each, targeting senior managers down to operational staff. It blends video, case studies, and interactive content to make sustainability not an abstract corporate ideal but a practical business necessity.
Business Case Over Ideology
For Debenham, the strongest arguments for sustainability aren’t moral — they’re financial.
“Not everyone is a believer in sustainability,” he notes. “But it doesn’t matter. Regulations, shareholder expectations, customer loyalty, and supply chain resilience are all compelling drivers. CFOs in particular see the business case clearly.”
He points to a recent Kearney study, Staying the Course: Chief Financial Officers and the Green Transition, which found that:
- 93% of CFOs see a clear business case for sustainability.
- 92% plan to increase investment in 2025 — more than half by sizeable amounts.
Rethinking the Sustainability Report
The traditional stand-alone sustainability report, Debenham argues, is outdated.
“I’ve written plenty myself,” he admits. “Some are robust, some are fluff. But the truth is, reporting should be integrated. If you have a stellar financial result but your reputation is shaky, shareholders will worry about long-term value. Financial and sustainability performance belong in the same story.”
This is the model Barry Callebaut adopted during his tenure - integrating sustainability outcomes directly into annual financial reporting. More companies, he says, will follow suit as investors demand more transparent accountability.
Towards Real Implementation
Ultimately, Debenham insists, the most challenging part of sustainability isn’t setting ambitious targets - it’s bringing people along.
“The biggest challenge isn’t writing the strategy. It’s engaging employees so that sustainability becomes part of day-to-day business decisions,” he says.
That’s where the new e-learning tool comes in: not to turn managers into carbon accounting experts, but to build company-wide fluency, ownership, and momentum.
“It’s all about engagement and change management — helping people feel comfortable with the topic, understand its relevance to their role, and see the benefits for the company,” Debenham concludes.
For more information, contact: Nicko Debenham — Nicko@sustainability-solutions.com
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