Forbes Sustainability Leaders 2025: Nominations Are Open

Forbes

15-05-2025

The climate movement today is defined by contradiction: Technologically advanced, but politically fractured; globally urgent, but logistically stalled.
In the U.S., landmark environmental policies are being reversed even as climate-fueled disasters intensify and cost the economy billions. Globally, companies that once led on net-zero are walking back their ambitions, revising timelines, softening disclosures, and retreating from public pledges. New reporting requirements are being introduced and immediately challenged in legislatures and boardrooms. Capital is flowing into climate solutions at record levels, but it's not always aligned with need, particularly in the Global South. Disinformation about sustainability is rising just as fast as public concern over the environment. And while AI promises breakthroughs, it's also accelerating demand for energy and infrastructure. We know what must be done, but putting solutions into practice seems more difficult than ever.
Even so, progress is being made by those willing to keep building. In its second year, the Forbes Sustainability Leaders list will spotlight people turning ambition into scalable action, building solutions in an economic and political climate of uncertainty. In this moment, we're looking to honor leaders with clarity of purpose and the resolve to act when conditions are far from perfect.
Forbes
Last year's honorees reflected the full breadth of what climate leadership looks like today: entrepreneurs reimagining how industries operate, artists reshaping culture, and scientists reporting from the front lines. Among them were Indigenous activist Nemonte Nenquimo, whose legal and community-led efforts helped protect vast tracts of Ecuador's Amazon rainforest; Joy Belmonte, mayor of Quezon City, who advanced one of Southeast Asia's most ambitious urban climate agendas; Peter Kalmus, a NASA climate scientist whose advocacy bridges research and public communication; RJ Scaringe, founder and CEO of electric vehicle company Rivian; and Catherine Coleman Flowers, whose environmental justice work confronts sanitation inequality in underserved U.S. cities.
Their work was evaluated by a global panel of judges spanning science, finance, advocacy, and policy—including Laurene Powell Jobs, founder of Emerson Collective and the Waverley Street Foundation; Bill McKibben, author and founder of the global climate networks 350.org and Third Act; and Nnimmo Bassey, Nigerian poet, environmentalist, and longtime advocate for ecological justice and Indigenous rights.
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This September, the list will return—launching in concert with the Forbes Sustainability Leaders Summit during New York Climate Week.
We're seeking nominations from founders, policymakers, investors, organizers, artists, scientists, and others driving impact around the world. Whether you're building technology, restoring ecosystems, financing adaptation, or rethinking entrenched systems—we want to hear from you. See the guidelines below, and read more about our methodology here.
The deadline to submit all nominations for the list is 9:00am ET on Friday, June 13, 2025.
Some honorees may be widely recognized names; others may be rising leaders doing critical work behind the scenes. What unites them is not status or tenure, but forward motion—they are not being honored for legacy, but for current contributions. We're looking for individuals who are driving impact now: ambitious, inventive, and actively shaping the future. As we evaluate candidates for this year's Forbes Sustainability Leaders list, we're considering the following:
Our cohort's work is authentic and delivers proven, discernible positive impacts—no greenwashed efforts.
Nominees are proactive, not passive. They stand up, engage in dialogue, lead teams, and pave new paths forward. They are risk-takers.
Our leaders focus on exploring new frontiers, challenging existing limits, and solving problems in unique ways. They are pioneers in their field.
We look for visionaries who not only have smart solutions but also possess viable plans and the drive to scale their impact.
We prioritize candidates who have made significant contributions to environmental sustainability in the last few years.
Our nominees strive to create solutions that benefit everyone, recognizing that sustainability is inseparable from social justice.
The process to create the annual list begins with an open call for nominations. There is no application fee. Candidates are initially reviewed by Forbes staff, and finalists may be asked to provide additional information. The selection is further refined by panels of industry experts, and Forbes editors ultimately compile the most compelling candidates into the final Forbes Sustainability Leaders List, which will be presented alphabetically, not ranked.