In November, I had the opportunity to participate virtually in the United Nations’ COP26 climate summit held in Glasgow, Scotland. The session focused on what the private sector must do to minimize the devastating effects of climate change. The urgency to drive change has grown significantly as the world experienced continuing natural disasters that wreaked havoc on communities in practically every continent. In the U.S., wildfires swept through Colorado and violent tornados devastated parts of Kentucky; in the Philippines, a super typhoon hit the small island nation with the force equivalent to that of a category five hurricane; and unprecedented floods devastated parts of western Europe. These climate-related disasters make it clear that leaders must act now, and accountability to progress must be strengthened.
Acting now and strengthening accountability are sentiments we’re hearing repeatedly. “Aspirations are great. Actions are essential,” wrote John Sterman, co-founder of the MIT Sloan Sustainability Initiative, in an article on strategies for sustainable business. He notes that goals such as becoming carbon neutral over the next few decades, become meaningless when not paired with specific, measurable, and transparent processes to achieve them. Ultimately, the traditional underpinnings of strong organizational support and clear processes are what will drive lasting, meaningful change.