Not necessary to sacrifice doing well for doing good

Today the vast majority of companies cite climate change as a significant priority and pledges for carbon neutrality are mushrooming both at the industry and company level. 

But take a look at these facts: in 2016, 90% of executives saw sustainability as necessary, but only 60% of companies had a sustainability strategy, and only 25% had developed a clear business case for their sustainability efforts. 

Five years later, of companies committed to carbon neutrality, how many have a clear business case? Without one, their well-meant ambitions will flounder. With one, sustainability is transformed from an earnest but unfocused exercise in corporate social responsibility to business momentum.  

The business case is key to scale change

Think about your own boardroom: when sustainability initiatives yield extra profits, the trade-off between doing well and doing good disappears, and management, financial sponsors and customers will happily join forces to push the…