Shaping the future: Why business must lead on sustainability now

As 2024 ends, sustainability leaders in businesses find themselves reflecting on a year marked by retreats and challenges for sustainability and social responsibility. High-profile companies scaled back ambitious goals, and public discourse seemed to focus more on setbacks than progress. Soon, a new administration will come into power, likely bringing a new set of obstacles that will test the agility and perseverance of sustainability professionals.  

At Forum for the Future, we see that visionary leaders know that moments of uncertainty are opportunities to redefine the future. This moment of transition is a critical juncture for businesses to seize opportunities for innovation, foster resilience and drive competitive advantage. 

What’s at stake?

Under a Trump administration, the ESG movement is the US is likely to face significant headwinds as federal policy and investment shifts away from long-term sustainability priorities. Trade tariffs and efforts toward mass deportation are likely to disrupt global supply chains and undermine the human rights and equity principles at the heart of ESG strategies. The potential slashing of education and environmental institutions and their budgets signals a step back from science-based targets. A retreat from international commitments, such as the Paris Climate Agreement, combined with potential rollbacks of the Inflation Reduction Act’s climate provisions, including electric vehicle incentives, risks stalling the progress we’ve seen on climate action.  

In this context, leadership from the private sector and local governments will be critical to holding the line and continuing to push for transformative change “We cannot afford to step back now,” says Samantha Veide, Managing Director of the Americas at Forum for the Future. “This is a moment to lean in, as the stakes for people, planet, and prosperity have never been higher.” 

Amid these forces of change, a critical question emerges:  

How can we move beyond simply resisting setbacks and instead harness the changing context to create a future where people and planet can truly thrive?

Convening bold conversations

To dive into this question, Forum for the Future convened a group of sustainability experts and close partners last week to discuss the implications of the U.S. election and its potential to shape pathways toward a just and regenerative future.  

The discussion was moderated by Veide and featured perspectives from Andrew Winston, sustainability expert and co-author of Net Positive: How Courageous Companies Thrive by Giving More Than They Take (2021); Alisha Bhagat, Futures Lead at Forum for the Future; and Camilla Taylor, Executive Director of the American Sustainable Business Network (ASBN). Together, they explored how the election results are likely to impact businesses and how futures thinking can provide new perspectives and bolster resilience in the face of uncertainty. 

Several key themes emerged in the discussion that businesses can consider as they navigate this period of unpredictability. While the current public discourse might highlight setbacks, beneath the surface, there are signals of progress: 

• Anti-ESG noise vs pro-sustainability actions: Though the “green hushing” trend is real, for every sensationalized anti-ESG story, there are more examples of businesses quietly driving change toward real sustainability outcomes. The movement of “green doing” focuses on impact—not rhetoric—and reflects a strong underlying commitment to resilience and innovation.

From L’Oréal Groupe and Chenavari Investment Managers’ €50 million Solstice fund, which provides financing and training to SME suppliers for scope 3 decarbonization projects, to the fast-growing list of major food companies committing to regenerative agriculture, and Royal Enfield supporting the electrification of remote Himalayan villages with solar power and infrastructure to foster climate resilience, businesses are recognizing the advantages of investing in sustainability and social responsibility.

• The renewable energy revolution: More than half of new cars sold in China are EVs. Texas, despite its oil legacy, has become the fastest-growing renewable energy market globally. In the last year alone, $2 trillion has been invested into the clean economy.

This represents over double the investment in fossil fuels. While regulatory delays exist, the economic incentives are too compelling to ignore. This is a clear sign that the clean energy transition is underway, will continue, and has significant potential to grow. 

• Sub-national governments are taking the lead: Local governments are stepping up to drive sustainability where federal action lags. California's Proposition 4, a $10 billion climate bond, and New York City's congestion tax illustrate bold local responses to climate challenges.

They demonstrate how policy, finance, and community action can be creatively applied for systemic change. These initiatives set a powerful example for businesses, showing how acting in one’s sphere of control while modeling good practice across one’s sphere of influence can drive progress. 

• Resilience as a long-term imperative: Resilient systems proactively manage risks and reduce costly disruptions by avoiding reactive, last-minute responses. The field of biomimicry reveals how nature has developed proven models for resilience from its 3.8 billion years of R&D experience. Ant colonies, for example, store food in multiple locations to reduce risk and use decentralized decision-making to respond quickly and stay stable. It’s time we pause, observe and apply nature’s wisdom. 

• The next-generation imperative: Younger consumers and employees, including Gen Z and Millennials, continue to demand bold action on sustainability and transparency and accountability from businesses. Their expectations influence consumer behavior, inform investment decisions, and shape public discourse, making it essential for organizations to embed sustainability in their core strategies and operations.

Visionary leaders know that moments of uncertainty are opportunities to redefine the future. This moment of transition is a critical juncture for businesses to seize opportunities for innovation, foster resilience and drive competitive advantage.

Six imperatives to lead on sustainability now

Business leaders have an opportunity in 2025 to harness the changing context and create a future where people and planet can truly thrive. 

1. Adopt a courageous mindset: Courage is critical. Middle and senior leaders within companies must, in the words of Andrew Winston, champion sustainability as a “driver of value creation and relevance”. A vast network of employees, customers, and communities is ready to support businesses that demonstrate bold leadership. As Winston advised, “It’s about collective courage. Show the courage and then work together.” 

2. Address root narratives and values: During this period of reckoning and transition, businesses must ask: “What is intrinsic to our identity and brand? What legacy do we want to leave?” Demonstrating authenticity and having a long-term vision are increasingly non-negotiable. Aligning actions with core values will build trust and differentiate your business. The CPRT Resources from the University of Michigan Erb Institute are useful tools, frameworks, and case studies that help leading businesses align their political activities with core values, sustainability commitments, and long-term stakeholder trust. 

3. Scenario-plan for future resilience: In an unpredictable landscape, scenario planning becomes vital. This proactive approach helps businesses prepare in the face of uncertainties, from new tariffs and deregulations to evolving social and environmental pressures. As Bhagat explains, Futures represents a set of tools but also a mindset and narrative of how we think about the future. For example, we must ask: “Are we anticipating change?

Are we thinking about the systems in which we work and building resiliency into those systems so… we're still able to hit those targets?” Forum uses futures and foresight methodologies like horizon scanning and scenario planning with our business partners to help teams enter a space of imagination and possibility; build capabilities related to anticipatory governance; and exercise greater agency as change makers charting intentional paths forward.  

4. Connect and collaborate: Collaboration is fundamental to navigating today’s challenges. Businesses must lean into partnerships and collective action to amplify impact needed for systemic change. As Camila Taylor emphasized, there’s “hunger for collective action because there's power in it and there's also a level of anonymity.” We can do more in partnership because of the increased power in numbers, but partnership also spreads vulnerability which can be important in risk taking. 

5. Prepare for global and state-level regulations: Despite a changing landscape in the US, the broader world is moving forward with sustainability transitions and their associated pressures, including around reporting and disclosure.

For multinational companies with major operations in the EU, European regulations like the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) remain relevant. Thousands of companies with operations in the state of California will also be required to disclose greenhouse gas emissions and climate risks under the provisions of SB 253 and SB 261 – and other progressive states may follow suit. For leading businesses, early compliance is both a strategic advantage and a signal of leadership in a scrutinized marketplace. 

6. Define a positive vision for the future: At its core, bold leadership requires painting a positive vision of the future that aligns with your organization’s values. As we face uncertainties, it’s imperative to ask: What alternative visions can we create as alternatives to Project 2025? Bhagat offered this provocation: “We had the Green New Deal in the past, but if we were to update it, and [build out a] vision [based] on that, what would it be?”  

How can we shift one of the fundamental goals of the market system from creating more money to creating more wellbeing? By imagining a future that prioritizes sustainability, equity, and resilience, businesses can redefine their role in society and lead the charge. 

Forum for the Future’s services: your partner in sustainability strategy

At Forum for the Future, we provide the tools, insights, and advice you need to thrive in this evolving landscape. For over 25 years, we’ve helped businesses become the most courageous, visionary versions of themselves. If you would like to harness the opportunity of this moment to drive sustainable advantage for your business, we can work together on: 

• Transformational strategy: Together, we’ll align sustainability with your business’s core objectives, driving real impact. 

• Futures and strategic foresight: We help you anticipate and prepare for what’s next, ensuring your strategy is future-fit. 

• Collaboration for systems change: Through multi-stakeholder initiatives and breakthrough convenings both large and small, we’ll help you address systemic challenges and unlock collective impact. 

Let’s shape the future together 

In these critical times, bold leadership and collaboration are more essential than ever. As Veide closed the gathering with an excerpt from Rebecca Solnit’s A Piece for Hard Times: “Take care of yourself and remember that taking care of something else is an important part of taking care of yourself because you are interwoven with the 10 trillions of things in this single garment of destiny that has been stained and torn but is still being woven and mended and washed.”  

Reach out to Forum for the Future and together, we can shape a just, regenerative, and resilient future where sustainability drives both impact and competitive advantage.