The world will undergo rapid and profound developments during the coming decades. This is due to a number of global mega trends, such as population growth, poverty alleviation and urbanisation. The result is a future that will be both resource and pollution constrained. Following the development of the past decades, this future also includes increased systems complexity and an interconnected world. To deal with these challenges, the global society must move towards a more collaborative approach that builds on a grand coalition of stakeholders. Building on experiences from global business, international policy advisory positions and research, this opinion-piece discusses items on an agenda to deal with the challenges in creating a sustainable future.