Amir Hegazi’s How Business Can Fight Climate Change: Building Companies that Combine Profit and Sustainability compiles insight and ideas from 35 thought and action leaders on how to mobilize the private sector to address climate change and reduce carbon emissions.
The conversations captured in this book provide a guide to business leaders on how to do their part to mitigate climate change, a threat to the system that business depends on. The private sector can, and has the responsibility to, contribute to climate solutions both from the perspective of sustainability and from the perspective of self-preservation.
How Business can Fight Climate Change is a call to action for companies looking to make a positive impact in the world and increase company value. Entrepreneurs, executives, and innovators show that harnessing the power of the private sector to win against climate change is a real possibility through examples of companies and individuals doing what they can to slow climate change.
Roger Ballentine is grateful and excited to be included with this group of climate visionaries. In his interview with Amir Hegazi, Roger discusses the “tremendous opportunity for dual value” within the climate transition. Companies can be both more competitive and more resilient by pursuing sustainable business strategy to create value for the planet and for the company.
Roger believes that there is no one-size-fits-all strategy for businesses to reach these goals. In the interview, Roger discusses his process when working with companies: align with company leadership, work through benefits of sustainability, and design a plan to incorporate sustainability throughout the DNA of the company.
Roger also provides his answer to why this shift towards sustainability is happening. Companies are starting to realize climate strategy is a smart business decision. There are now more visionary, forward-thinking CEOs making this happen. We are also seeing a paradigm shift taking place with customers, investors, and stakeholders. Being a leader in sustainability can now improve customer and employee loyalty. This is climate capitalism at work.
The caveat to all this is that we will not solve every aspect of the climate problem with just capitalism. We also need direct government intervention in the form of incentives, such as for renewable energy and carbon capture, as well as to step in to ensure capitalism is operating equally and mitigating climate damage in poorest parts of the world. But we cannot wait for government alone to instigate these crucial changes.
Amir Hegazi has compiled a selection of inspiring words from climate thought leaders ranging from entrepreneurs to global NGO leaders, including Robin Rix at Verra, Dominic Waughray of the World Economic Forum, and Kevin Moss of the World Resources Institute.
Thank you again to Amir for his crucial and inspiring questions, and for providing this link to the free eBook version of How Business Can Fight Climate Change: Building Companies that Combine Profit and Sustainability.
