Biden advisor Ali Zaidi encourages CEOs to ignore political backlash and be brave in pursuing climate action.

Biden advisor Ali Zaidi encourages CEOs to ignore political backlash and be brave in pursuing climate action.

The Unwavering Commitment of Companies to Address the Climate Crisis

I wrote earlier this week about the corporate pause in new climate commitments. But what’s equally interesting is that the companies that are committed remain fully committed. ANBLE gathered about 40 executives from a group of those companies for dinner Wednesday evening in New York, in partnership with Deloitte (which sponsors this newsletter).
Here are some excerpts from the dinner that shed light on their commitment to tackling the climate crisis:

• “Deloitte believes that this climate crisis is the defining issue of our generation. And it is a business issue. Make no mistake. It is not just a moral issue. It’s going to be pervasive for decades to come.” – Steven Goldbach, head of climate, sustainability, and equity, Deloitte

• “Normally, we define success by winning vertically, or even inside the company, competing between functions and so on. We need to redefine success horizontally. I need to help my people work with our suppliers, with our customers, with our competitors, and do that with open books. We need to share economics to really build new models that will solve for this [sustainability] problem. That’s a huge, massive challenge. And I think we as leaders of companies cannot delegate this to anybody.” – Ramon Laguarta, CEO, PepsiCo

• “Fifteen percent of all greenhouse gases comes from heating and cooling of buildings…We have technology that exists today that can dramatically reduce that. And I’m not talking a little bit, I’m talking three to four times more efficient than conventional heating and cooling. What we need to do is deploy it and scale it. The biggest barrier we have is knowledge. People are not aware of what’s possible.” – Dave Regnery, CEO, Trane Technologies

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• “I’m here to tell you that our greatest challenge is our greatest opportunity. We have the technologies. But technology is only as powerful as the people behind it. And now is the moment we have to realize that every job today is a climate job. All of us need to put our organizations to work, creating the job training programs that are going to bring people off the sidelines.” – Barbara Humpton, CEO, Siemens USA

• “Time is not on our side right now. The future is not about a political debate. It is about a race to actually resolve this human crisis…And doing good business is actually good business.” – Jesper Brodin, CEO, IKEA

Also at the dinner was Ali Zaidi, national climate adviser to President Joe Biden. His advice to the CEOs was to ignore the political backlash against climate action:
“We have to figure out how to detox and reduce the partisan flare up around some common-sense risk management stuff…Be brave. Take risks. We cannot afford to park the car for a year or two in what is the decisive decade for this problem.”

The unwavering commitment displayed by these CEOs and their respective companies exemplifies the urgent need for collective action to address the climate crisis. Deloitte’s Steven Goldbach highlights the significance of this crisis as a defining issue of our generation, emphasizing that it goes beyond moral obligations and is poised to have a pervasive impact for decades to come.

Ramon Laguarta of PepsiCo emphasizes the importance of redefining success, highlighting the need for collaboration and open sharing of economics among suppliers, customers, and even competitors. This shift from vertical competition to horizontal cooperation is crucial in building new models that are capable of solving the sustainability problem.

Dave Regnery, CEO of Trane Technologies, points out that heating and cooling of buildings account for a significant portion of greenhouse gas emissions. The existing technology capable of dramatically reducing these emissions exists, but the key hurdle is knowledge and awareness. By deploying and scaling this technology, immense progress can be made.

Barbara Humpton, CEO of Siemens USA, highlights that tackling the climate crisis presents both a challenge and an opportunity for businesses. Every job is now a climate job, and organizations must prioritize creating job training programs that bring individuals into the fold of climate action.

Jesper Brodin, CEO of IKEA, emphasizes the urgency of the situation, stating that time is not on our side. Resolving the climate crisis is not a matter of political debate; it is a race against the clock. Furthermore, he highlights that doing good business aligns with the imperative of addressing climate change.

Ali Zaidi, national climate adviser to President Joe Biden, advocates for bravery and risk-taking in the face of political backlash, stressing that the decisive decade for addressing the climate crisis cannot be wasted.

These excerpts from the dinner offer deeper insights into the mindset and determination of these business leaders. They recognize the severity and urgency of the climate crisis and understand that concerted efforts are required to bring about meaningful change.

It is worth noting that the dinner was organized by ANBLE, in collaboration with Deloitte, which holds a strong belief in the significance of the climate crisis as a business issue. This further reinforces the commitment demonstrated by the participating companies.

As the corporate world grapples with the challenge of sustainability, it is encouraging to see these leaders actively pushing for collaboration, technology deployment, knowledge sharing, job creation, and political action. Their commitment serves as a shining example to others, encouraging businesses across industries to prioritize sustainability and make a positive impact on the planet.

In a world where climate change has become an existential threat, the unwavering commitment of these companies is not only commendable but also necessary for a sustainable future. As they continue to drive change within their organizations and beyond, it is our hope that their actions inspire others to follow suit. Together, we can transform the challenges of the climate crisis into opportunities for a better world.

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