If what I’ve learned about corporate sustainability transformation is true, then there’s always a group of people who occupy a very interesting position within the process. They don’t have the full power to change the direction of the organization’s policies, but they’re close enough to the pulse of change to recognize that the old direction is no longer sufficient. In the context of corporate sustainability, that group is middle managers—a generation of operational leaders caught between two major currents today.

The Unique Position of Middle Managers

On one hand, they’re facing the executives who constantly calculate the “cost” of sustainability and fear the loss of short-term profits. On the other, they’re facing young workers, especially Millennials and Gen Zs, who seek not only career growth but also meaning and the recognition for the positive socio-environmental impact of their work. The tension they must deal with is not simply a managerial dilemma at the corporate level, but also a crucial juncture in the transformation journey of all companies toward a sustainable future.

However, this tight position between a rock and a hard place can be their most strategic advantage—if leveraged well. From this midpoint position, middle managers can drive change upwards, sideways, and downwards simultaneously. They don’t need to wait for orders from the top, and they don’t need to comply with all the pressures from the left, right, or below; they can be catalysts, channeling the energy of change into systems with real impacts toward sustainable goals.

Strategic Aspect 1: Reframing

There are at least seven strategic aspects that I believe middle managers can implement to advance sustainability from their unique point. Even though this is not an exhaustive list, seven is the start to encourage further reflection and discussion.

The first aspect is reframing sustainability as a source of strategic value, not merely a moral responsibility or regulatory obligation. One of the main causes of inertia at the top management level is the perception that sustainability is simply an “additional cost”. They perceive sustainability as good for reputation, but not essential for competitiveness.

Thus, middle managers must be master storytellers capable of changing this outdated narrative. They must showcase, using data and business logic, that sustainability actually strengthens long-term profitability and resilience. For example, increasing energy efficiency isn’t just about reducing carbon footprints; it also lowers operational costs. Community development programs aren’t just philanthropy, but a crucial tool for creating social stability along the supply chain.

When middle managers can demonstrate the direct link between sustainability initiatives and positive financial performance—with an undeniable theory of change—resistance from above begins to melt away. In many of the cases I’ve observed, major change doesn’t start with policy, but with small pieces of evidence that shift perceptions from risk to opportunity.

Strategic Aspect 2: Cross-functionality

The second aspect is building cross-functional alliances to strengthen the foothold of sustainability in daily operations. Sustainability won’t thrive if it’s solely owned by one division, department, or even an individual. In many conversations I’ve had, middle managers are caught in the illusion that they need a formal mandate, such as an executive committee, to get things moving. In fact, the most powerful change often comes from informal collaborations across departments—from finance and operations to marketing and HR—that identify shared interests.

For instance, a production manager might collaborate with finance to build a business case for efficient technology investments; while HR might embed sustainability principles into training programs for new employees. Such alliances not only strengthen internal drive but also create mini-ecosystems within the organization that normalize sustainability as a way of thinking, not just a project. This is why middle managers need to be highly skilled at lateral movement to influence upwards while meeting the expectations of those from below.

Strategic Aspect 3: Youth Voice

The third aspect is activating the voices of younger generations in a productive way, rather than in a reactive way. Many middle managers feel pressured by younger workers who want major changes “right now”. This pressure can be quite disruptive, but it can actually be a great asset if managed well.

Millennials and Gen Zs clearly bring energy, creativity, and a sensitivity to social and environmental issues that previous generations lacked. Therefore, the key is to transform that energy into collaboration, not confrontation.

For example, managers can facilitate internal forums like a “Green Innovation Lab” or a “Sustainability Sprint”, where young workers can propose solutions and experiment on a small scale to start with. This way, young workers feel valued and involved, while top management can observe the potential for innovation without feeling like they’re losing control. This approach transforms idealism into a concrete, results-oriented laboratory of ideas.

Strategic Aspect 4: Embedding

The fourth aspect is embedding sustainability metrics into operational performance review systems. Sustainability initiatives often fail not because of a lack of motivation, but because there are no clear metrics tied to the right parts of the company. What isn’t measured won’t be managed, as told by Peter Drucker.

Hence, middle managers can play a key role by introducing relevant indicators to easily integrate into performance targets. Some examples are energy intensity per unit of production, the recycling rate, or the level of employee participation in social programs. When sustainability is incorporated into the formal evaluation system, the message is clear throughout the organization: sustainability is not a secondary activity, it is a part of core performance. This approach also helps bridge the gap between the idealistic language often used by younger generations and the business language that might be the sole means of communication for top management.

Strategic Aspect 5: Role Model

The fifth aspect is being role models for a transformative leadership style. In the context of sustainability, leadership is not just about providing direction, but also about cultivating a culture that enables and facilitates change.

Middle managers need to demonstrate integrity—consistency between words and actions—which builds trust both upward and downward. They must be bold in making decisions that may be unpopular, such as rejecting unethical practices even though they are “the norm” in other departments or companies, or promoting transparency even if it risks creating tension.

This kind of authentic leadership always has a domino effect. It’s contagious, usually starting slowly but accelerating rapidly when momentum builds. When employees see their leaders taking bold action, they follow suit. When top management sees tangible results, they begin to consider adjusting policies. Middle-level leadership is often likened to a small flame that can ignite the embers of change throughout an organization.

Strategic Aspect 6: Open Mind

The sixth aspect is about broadening perspectives through external learning and cross-organizational collaboration. Many corporate sustainability initiatives stall because they are trapped in a narrow perspective, assuming they can only learn from within. Yet, many companies and communities have found innovative ways to balance profit and purpose—or more precisely, generate profit through purpose-driven businesses.

In this light, middle managers can act as knowledge bridges by initiating benchmarking activities, partnerships, or even collaborative projects across companies, industries, and even sectors. Involvement in sustainability forums as well as intra-industry forums will bring new perspectives and provide additional legitimacy needed for driving change within the company. When middle managers can prove how well aspects of their sustainability initiatives work in other companies or organizations and align with global best practices, the opposing argument that they are unrealistic gradually loses its validity.

Strategic Aspect 7: Narrative Intelligence

Finally, the seventh aspect, which I believe is the most important, is managing sustainability communications with narrative intelligence.Too many ideas of change fail to develop further because they are presented inappropriately or too this or that—too technical, too moralistic, too focused on success, or too far removed from the day-to-day realities of business. Middle managers need to be storytellers who can bridge the emotional language of the younger generation with the analytical language of top management, as mentioned previously.

Stories that connect small actions with big impacts are incredibly powerful. For instance, a story about a group of young workers finding a creative way to reduce waste in a factory, with all the facets of their struggle, will be more compelling than a thick, technical report about waste. When sustainability is told as a meaningful, collective struggle of a company’s employees—beyond a series of KPIs—the entire organization feels like they’re a part of it. Of course, technical reports are still necessary; but sustainability communication is more than just creating and launching those reports.

Architects of a Paradigm Shift

Throughout this process, middle managers need to realize one crucial thing: they are not simply “spokespeople” between two generations, but architects of a paradigm shift. Top management inertia doesn’t always mean resistance. It often signals an unpreparedness and anxiety about facing new complexities. Meanwhile, the younger generation’s conviction and insistence—if guided with empathy and structure—can fuel the transition. By being the connection between two worlds—thinking strategically like top management but empathetic like the younger generation—middle managers can build a strong bridge along the pathway to a truly sustainable organization.

Sustainability isn’t an instant revolution, as John Elkington’s most important message in Cannibals with Forks suggests. In Elkington’s metaphor, to stop a cannibal from eating other humans, we first need to teach them to eat with a fork before changing what they eat. Similarly, corporate sustainability is an evolution of consciousness that needs leadership at every level of the organization. If middle managers can transform these bidirectional pressures into constructive energy, they will no longer feel trapped. Instead, they will feel like they are at the center of a bridge connecting all sides, not just between top management and younger workers, but also between the company’s uncertain past and its truly sustainable future.

Editor: Abul Muamar

Translator: Nazalea Kusuma

The original version of this article is published in Indonesian at Green Network Asia – Indonesia.