This article was first published in Harvard Business Review and is available via subscription.
Georg Kell, Martin Reeves, and Helena Fox believe that several forces will eventually overturn sustainability’s regression. The enormous progress of renewable energy, planetary realities, and new business models that make sustainability a source of profit and competitive advantage make it hard to rollback advancements. To navigate the interim, leaders should be guided by the long-term scenario of a sustainability rebound, look to fundamental values to help build bridges between polarized communities, champion localization, and integrate sustainability imperatives with innovation and technology strategy.
Still, the contradictions between short-term expediency and long-term goals and values will pose challenges. The authors recommend embracing a different sustainability mindset: expect reversals and contradictions, prize pragmatism over idealism, and seize the opportunity to make progress while competitors are distracted.