Sustainability expert Mike Barber explains why sustainable business practices remain crucial despite losing some media spotlight and political traction in recent months. We explore how sustainability continues to gain momentum with investors, customers, and regulators while creating tangible business value through innovation, efficiency, and resilience.
• Nearly 10,000 global corporations now committed to science-based targets for net zero emissions
• Major investment firms like Brookfield continue deploying billions into renewable energy
• The role of Chief Sustainability Officer evolving from education to performance optimization
• Simple energy audits can yield 15% savings with zero capital expenditure
• Integrating sustainability early in R&D and product development creates significant value
• Circular economy initiatives like IKEA's refurbishment program generate new customer interactions
• Sustainability requires whole-organization thinking, not just leadership from CSOs
• Two-thirds of Fortune 500 purchasing officers cite sustainability as a strategic sourcing factor
• Carbon Tracker Initiative offers free investment-grade analyses of sector winners and losers
• Three key takeaways: sustainability is here to stay, creates business value, and requires leadership commitment
