In their own words: How CEOs are forging paths to sustainability

The Institute for Business Value’s latest CEO research shows that in 2022, CEOs ranked sustainability as a top priority 37% more frequently than in the previous year. Urgency of action was a key theme.

That’s not surprising, given we are literally in the eleventh hour of climate change. As Sheri Hinish, IBM’s global sustainability services lead for consulting, describes sustainability: “It isn’t philanthropy. It isn’t a project. It isn’t a separate department. It’s core to who you are. It’s in your corporate DNA and it’s part of your enterprise strategy.”

But how are CEOs viewing sustainability within their overall business context and how are they baking it into their business? In this short report, chief executive officers shed light on both of these areas. Listen to brief excerpts from our interviews below and download the report for more detail from more CEOs.

 

Supply chains and sustainability are inseparable

Andy Katz-Mayfield, cofounder and CEO of Harry’s, discusses ways to infuse sustainability into a complex global web of suppliers.
 

Accounting for environmental cost in financial systems

Nielsen CEO, David Kenny, talks about the need for financial systems to appropriately reflect the environmental cost of what enterprises do—to better inform decision-making from the start. And what happens when the metrics don’t align with the reality.
 

“90% of women want investing for sustainability”

Sallie Krawcheck, cofounder and CEO of Ellevest, highlights how gender affects impact investing.
 

Small actions can equal big impact

Sustainability is about the big issues and impacts, but the little ones add up, according to Lindsay Kaplan, cofounder of Chief. From business travel to sending swag to the team, being mindful of sustainability impacts is essential.
 

Eliminating the false dichotomy of “doing the right thing” versus making a profit

Marshall Wilmot, president, retail, and CDO of ATCO, talks about merging the right thing to do from a sustainability perspective with a proper return on investment. The two shouldn’t be mutually exclusive.
 

For more detailed insights from more CEOs, download our short report.