The 2026 Global Business Impact Report (GBIR) offers a picture of how YPO-led businesses are advancing sustainability worldwide. But measuring impact is more than seeing where an organization stands today. It also can uncover new possibilities, sharpen priorities and help chief executives determine where to go next.
“The GBIR moves us from broad statements about impact to evidence,” says Jay Tapp, Managing Director and Partner at STS Capital Partners and the YPO member who championed the report. “It gives members a practical baseline, relevant peer comparisons and clear next steps, while giving YPO credible data about the contribution of its businesses.”
The GBIR team has spent four years developing and growing the assessment, platform, benchmarking data, leaderboard and report. Since 2022, approximately 2,000 members have completed the assessment.
“YPO members lead companies with a collective global economic footprint of approximately USD7 trillion, many of which showcase world-class practices,” Tapp says. “GBIR can highlight those practices and help other member companies apply them.”
Fresh perspective on impact
The GBIR assessment surveys YPO members about areas such as climate-risk analysis, decarbonization strategies, greenhouse gas reduction targets and the integration of sustainability across the business.
After completing the assessment, members receive an impact score that reflects completeness, performance, transparency and consistency across key performance indicators (KPIs). These KPIs align with widely recognized standards from top global frameworks and regulations.
For Tapp, who has spent roughly 40 years working in manufacturing and supply chains, measurement is the natural starting point for improvement.
“If we want to improve something, we first need to understand the current state,” he says.
— Jay Tapp, Managing Director and Partner at STS Capital Partners share
Maimuna Iram, CEO of E Waste Social, typically helps other organizations with impact reporting. Completing the assessment gave her an opportunity to turn an eye toward her own company.
“I thought it would be useful to put our own organization through a similar process and get a fresh perspective on our impact,” Iram says.
The results showed that sustainability was already integrated into E Waste Social’s business.
“For us, it was useful to validate what we are doing well and identify where we can become more systematic,” she says.
Starting with small improvements
For companies looking to create meaningful impact, there is no single path. Stanley Szeto, Executive Chairman of B Corp-certified Lever Style Inc., advises chief executives who are just beginning to focus on sustainability to start with changes that can produce a quick return.
He recommends reviewing current operations for ways to reduce energy consumption, such as installing energy-efficient lighting. Although the initial cost may be higher, the investment can pay for itself in as little as six months.
“Pick the things with the quickest payback and go slowly from there,” Szeto says.
Often CEOs believe sustainability will reduce their company’s profits, costing more than it saves. But that’s a fallacy if sustainability is approached properly, Szeto says.
Iram also recommends that leaders start with optimization because that is where sustainability is often easiest to introduce in an organization.
“Before investing in new solutions, look at what you already have and ask how you can use resources better — energy, materials, people, processes and technology,” she says. “Small improvements, when consistently implemented, can create significant impact.”
Leveraging an established framework
Faryn Clark, CEO of Eclectic Array and a YPO member, says sustainability is not a new focus for her organization. It received its B Corp certification almost three years ago and has continued to improve its standards. The certification verifies that the organization is meeting high standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability.
While getting B Corp certified is a rigorous process, it builds instant credibility with sustainability-conscious consumers, Clark says, and the assessment tool offers a baseline to track performance, find waste and set clear sustainability goals. Clark urges leaders to set this goal for their companies.
“Get a mentor or coach hired to support the process to help you really understand your specifics in your business and how to present it and how to improve,” Clark suggests.
A tool to improve leadership
For participating CEOs, the impact assessment gives them a structured way to evaluate their companies, compare practices with peers and learn from members who have already made progress.
“The real value is not simply a score or leaderboard position,” Tapp says. “It is the insight into your company and the opportunity to learn from an extraordinary community of peers. Every new participant makes that collective intelligence more valuable for everyone.”
Tapp believes GBIR can become one of YPO’s most purposeful and differentiated member offerings by connecting assessment with year-round learning, recognizing strong member practices and helping other companies adapt those approaches.
“It sits directly at the intersection of better leadership, stronger businesses and greater impact,” he says.
The next phase will focus on refreshing the assessment and report, strengthening benchmarking and recommendations, engaging members throughout the year, and using the data to deepen learning and peer connections.
“GBIR reflects an extraordinary collective effort by YPO staff, members, spouse/partner members, the Sustainable Business Network, the Business Network Council and outside sponsors,” Tapp says. “YPO has consistently given this work a voice and a platform, and we are deeply grateful to everyone involved.”
View the GBIR results here.
YPO networks are virtual, interest-based communities where members connect with peers who share their professional and personal interests. YPO members Interested in the Sustainable Business Network can explore it on YPO Connect.
