What Business Can Do To Address Climate Crisis Under Any Administration
In a poll at The Earth Day Women's Summit last week in Dallas, Texas, 100% of respondents said that business is not doing enough to address the climate crisis. This aligns with a PwC 2024 study that found the same – and that a majority of consumers are willing to pay more for sustainably-made products too.
'Even as consumers look to cheaper, generic options for essentials, they nevertheless cite a willingness to pay 9.7% more for sustainability,' the PwC reported, adding, 'In the year ahead, companies must achieve a delicate balance between consumer affordability and environmental impact if they are to source and retain consumers.' They also found that a majority – over four-fifths – of 'consumers are willing to pay more for sustainability,' and that 'nine-in-ten (85%) say they are experiencing the disruptive impacts of climate change in their lives.'
A panel of top business leaders focused on sustainability, clean energy and environment-social-governance (ESG)-related issues at The Earth Day Women's Summit, dove into the issue of what business can do and some of the nuances of doing so at this moment in the global economy.
Slide of Business panel - Women's Summit 4-22-2025
The panel included: Helle Bank Jorgensen, Founder/CEO of Competent Boards training and certification programs for board members and prospective board members; Danielle Azoulay, former Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) of L'Oreal and former CSO of Bed, Bath & Beyond, and now CEO of The CSO Shop; Rosie Austin, Principal-Program Manager in AT&T's Environmental Sustainability division; Jana Gerber, President of Microgrids at Scheider Electric. I moderated the panel. at The Earth Day Women's Summit was one day of the five-day EarthX2025 Congress of Conferences.
Despite the Trump administration's aggressively-anti-climate and anti-clean energy actions, the business sector is moving forward with sustainable practices. Market forces are demanding it, and they have to protect their operations in the face of extreme weather events wrought by a warming planet. It's a business imperative.
Jana Gerber speaking at Earth Day Women's Summit - 4-22-2025. Danielle Azoulay looks on.
Rosie Austin speaking at Earth Day Women's Summit - 4-22-2025, Danielle Azoulay looks on
Helle Bank Jorgensen speaking on panel at Earth Day Women's Summit - 4-22-2025, Rosie Austin looks ... More on
Danielle Azoulay speaking at Earth Day Women's Summit - 4-22-2025, Jana Gerber looks on
Companies may take these actions more quietly than they did over the past few years, but they are still taking them. Mother Nature is not waiting, so leaders can't either.
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Gross margin in our example falls to 27% under cost accounting, but holds steady under RIM at 47% even though units sold have changed. Here's where you see how the ratio of cost of goods sold to selling price hasn't had time to adjust.
