Setting credible and achievable ESG targets

How do you set sustainability targets that are ambitious, credible, and achievable?

Targets are one of the most visible markers of a company’s sustainability ambitions - but setting strong, realistic goals is far from straightforward. Too soft, and they lack credibility. Too ambitious, and you risk greenwishing or underdelivering.

Whether you’re focused on carbon emissions, social impact, or broader ESG performance, the question remains the same: how do you decide what a ‘good’ target actually looks like, and how can you set it in a way that stands up to scrutiny while still being achievable?

📊 This 30-minute live panel will explore practical approaches to setting meaningful sustainability targets - with insights into what works in both the environmental and social spheres, and how to avoid common pitfalls such as vague commitments or overpromising.

The session will be facilitated by Caroline Thalund, CEO and founder of Sustainability 360. Caroline brings a pragmatic, in-house perspective, shaped by decades of experience working with companies to turn sustainability aspirations into measurable results.

Caroline will be joined by Barbara Albert, Co-CEO of 100% Renewables (Australia), as well as additional guest speakers to be announced shortly. Together they will share practical guidance and examples from their experience setting robust targets in the environmental and social space.

💬 Participants are encouraged to submit questions in advance - the discussion will focus on real challenges raised by attendees and include a live Q&A.

👥 Who it’s for
Sustainability managers, senior leaders, and others responsible for defining and delivering ESG targets - whether for board reporting, external disclosure, or internal improvement plans.

🎤 SPEAKERS

Barbara Albert
Barbara Albert is the Co-CEO of 100% Renewables, an advisor, speaker, and award-winning author recognised for her expertise in guiding organisations towards net-zero emissions. She works with business leaders to translate climate science into clear, actionable strategies that deliver measurable outcomes and commercial value.

Barbara hosts the podcast Driving Net Profit with Zero Emissions and authored Energy Unlimited, named one of the world’s top 10 sustainable energy books by BookAuthority. She is featured in the Clean Energy Council’s Women in Renewables guide and received the Energy Leaders Inspiration Award in 2019.

With extensive experience facilitating workshops, building internal sustainability capability, and advising on climate risk and resilience, Barbara combines strategic insight with a practical, business-oriented approach. She holds a Master of Commerce, is a World Bank Accredited City Climate Planner, and is certified in GRI reporting, carbon management, and climate neutrality.

Caroline Thalund

Caroline Thalund is a business sustainability expert with over 24 years’ experience helping organisations set and deliver meaningful ESG commitments. As the founder and CEO of Sustainability 360 (S360), she focuses on making sustainability goals credible, achievable, and aligned with business priorities - combining digital tools with expert support to help organisations plan, embed, and track progress effectively.

Her platform, S360, enables companies to set and manage sustainability targets, streamline ESG reporting, build stakeholder engagement, and accelerate B Corp certification. Caroline has worked across sectors including finance, tech, aviation, tourism, construction, and manufacturing, and has seen first-hand the challenges companies face in translating sustainability ambitions into measurable outcomes.

She is also a Professor of Practice at the University of Canterbury, where she teaches business leaders how to align strategy and operations with impactful, accountable sustainability targets..

Additional speakers to be announced soon.