Insights

4 CEO priorities for the green growth

 · 3 min read

How fast is the green economy growing? 

The green economy is already a $5 trillion market and is set to exceed $7 trillion by 2030, according to the World Economic Forum. Despite public attention shifting to topics such as inflation, trade disruptions, and geopolitical tensions, the momentum is still there. 

Energy supply & optimization, transportation & mobility, adaptation & resilience, and financial solutions are currently the biggest green markets in size. Geographically, the green growth is shifting its centre from the West to the East, led by China, which is investing and innovating faster and on a larger scale than its global peers. 

Why do green revenues grow faster? 

Between 2020 and 2024, green revenues of publicly listed global companies, analysed by the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), grew 2 times faster than conventional revenues. 

According to BCG analyses, companies that invest in green sectors have secured access to cheaper capital and outperformed on revenue-focused multiples. As a result, these companies often grow faster and excel in capital markets. 

For the full report, check out the World Economic Forum. 

What are CEOs’ priorities for green growth? 

To navigate green markets, CEOs must focus on: 

  • Purpose and strategy 
  • Value proposition 
  • Operating model 
  • Growth accelerators 

How to demonstrate strong purpose and strategy? 

Successful companies define a clear ambition and embed green growth in their corporate strategy. Their CEOs can build confidence among investors and employees. They identify where their company already has a ‘right to win’: where it holds customer trust, has proven technological or topic expertise, or has privileged access to supply chains. That’s where they allocate capital. 

From our experience, organisations struggle more with prioritisation than with ambitions. The real challenge is deciding where sustainability can create competitive advantage, where it is a business requirement, and where it should drive investment. 

What a compelling value proposition looks like? 

A sharp value proposition needs to answer customer needs and is built around real demand. Your products and services need to be not only ‘green’ but also competitive on quality and cost. The business case must be robust, both from a financial and an environmental perspective. Finally, it must demonstrate tangible market value. 

We believe that a strong value proposition must solve a business problem. To connect sustainability to tangible customers and commercial outcomes, organisations need to properly understand the market and where they can fill a gap. 

How to optimise your operating model? 

Growth is driven by agile, accountability-driven teams, with technical, commercial, and sustainability expertise, and an underlying focused culture. Successful leaders look at their supply chains to secure access to critical inputs. They leverage tech, AI, and existing assets as multipliers for scale. 

We often find that the biggest obstacle to green growth is not strategy but execution. Sustainability often sits outside core governance, decision-making and performance management, creating fragmented ownership and competing priorities. 

What are the fundamental growth accelerators? 

  1. Enable a route to technology maturity and cost efficiency: make green solutions economically competitive, not just environmentally attractive (e.g., by scaling proven technologies while selectively investing in emerging ones). 
  1. Shape and navigate ecosystems and regulation: work with regulators and policymakers, create partnerships across the value chain, and secure demand through offtake agreements. 
  1. Unlock smart capital and diversified financing: combine multiple capital sources, use green funds, subsidies and private capital, lower the cost of capital through innovative financing structures, and demonstrate clear ROI to investors. 

How can ORGX help? 

At ORGX, we help organisations build the capabilities that make green growth scalable, and support CEOs in turning ambition into execution. Take a look at our services.