The Viability of Ethical and Sustainable Product Delivery in 2026

In an exclusive conversation with Global Leaders Insights, Andika Saputra, AVP and Head of ESG & Sustainability at Evermos, shares how sustainable value creation in 2026 depends on execution, not positioning. He explains that ethical products can scale affordably only when sustainability is embedded into business models, supply chains, and data systems rather than treated as a premium add-on. Saputra highlights the importance of standardized frameworks, supplier capability building, and transparency over perfection. He emphasizes that credibility today comes from measurable outcomes, honest disclosure of gaps, and designing sustainability as a core business capability that strengthens resilience and long-term competitiveness.

Can Ethical and sustainable products be delivered at scale in 2026 without raising costs?

Yes, but only if sustainability is embedded into the business model, not treated as a premium add-on. In 2026, scale no longer comes from charging more for “ethical labels,” but from operational efficiency, digitalization, and ecosystem leverage.

Cost inflation happens when sustainability is implemented in silos, separate audits, bespoke materials, or parallel supply chains. At scale, costs can be stabilized or even reduced through shared infrastructure, standardized ESG requirements, aggregated demand, and better data visibility across the value chain. The question is no longer whether sustainable products can scale affordably, but how intelligently the system is designed.

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What supply chain challenges limit mass delivery of ethical products today?

The primary constraint on scaling ethical supply chains is capability asymmetry across suppliers. Many models rely on MSMEs with limited ESG literacy, weak data systems, and insufficient time or resources to meet complex compliance requirements. At the same time, sustainability expectations are often poorly linked to clear commercial incentives, reducing adoption at scale.

This misalignment creates a persistent gap between brand-level commitments and operational execution, particularly beyond Tier 1 suppliers where most risks sit. Without simplified standards, accessible tools, and structured capacity building, ethical sourcing initiatives tend to remain fragmented pilots rather than scalable systems.

How reliable are sustainability claims, and how can firms ensure real accountability?

Sustainability claims today range from robust to highly superficial. The issue is less about deliberate greenwashing and more about the absence of verifiable, consistent systems behind many of those claims.

Accountability improves when companies clearly link their sustainability statements to measurable indicators rather than narratives, apply recognized and consistent frameworks instead of self-defined metrics, and draw a clear line between marketing messages and operational evidence. It also requires an honest acknowledgment that sustainability progress is incremental, not binary.

In 2026, credibility is built through transparency about what has not yet been solved, paired with a clear and realistic improvement pathway. Companies that openly disclose gaps and limitations are often perceived as more trustworthy than those that position themselves as already “fully sustainable.”

How have consumer expectations in 2026 changed sustainable product delivery models?

By 2026, sustainability has shifted from aspiration to expectation. Consumers want it to be affordable, embedded into everyday products, and visible in real economic outcomes for communities and small businesses. This has reduced tolerance for symbolic or premium-led sustainability and increased demand for upstream action in sourcing and partnerships.

At the same time, credibility is defined by transparency. Companies are expected to use consistent frameworks, separate evidence from marketing, and be honest about the incremental nature of progress. Those that openly disclose gaps and improvement pathways are often trusted more than those claiming perfection.

What innovations will mostly shape the future scalability of sustainable products?

The most impactful innovations enabling sustainable products to scale are often systemic rather than purely technological. Progress increasingly comes from simplifying how sustainability is implemented across value chains—through digital tools that lower compliance barriers, standardized approaches that enable comparability, and platform models that aggregate smaller suppliers into scalable ecosystems.

At the same time, circular business models and blended finance mechanisms are reducing the cost and risk of transition, making sustainability commercially viable rather than exceptional. Together, these shifts address the core constraints of scale by reducing friction, cost, and complexity.

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What advice would you give brands to stay viable and credible in sustainable markets?

To remain viable and credible in sustainable markets, brands must stop treating sustainability as a branding exercise and start managing it as a core business capability. Sustainability should be designed to be practically implementable across the entire supply chain, with expectations that are realistic, inclusive, and supported by clear improvement pathways.

Focus matters more than breadth: one well-executed and credible sustainability pathway is far more powerful than multiple shallow initiatives. Ultimately, what matters most is measuring real outcomes, such as resilience, livelihoods, and long-term competitiveness rather than what simply looks good in a campaign, because in sustainable markets credibility is earned through consistency, not claims.