The Leadership Imperative for a Sustainable Future
Climate and sustainability have become central to how businesses grow, compete, and earn trust. They are not side issues but powerful forces reshaping markets, guiding investment, and determining which organizations will thrive in the years ahead. The standard for leadership has shifted: progress counts more than promises. Regulators, investors, employees, and communities are aligned on one point - measurable action is now the benchmark for credibility and resilience.
The 2025 Climate & Sustainability Leadership Forum, presented by FINN Partners, will take place during Climate Week NYC, from September 22 to 26. Through five days of virtual sessions and an in-person reception in New York, the Forum will bring together senior executives and sustainability leaders to focus on how ambition becomes execution, and how strategy translates into results. At a moment when pressure for meaningful progress is intensifying, the Forum provides a platform to define practical pathways forward for business and society alike.
The Strategic Focus
The Forum explores how climate ambition can be turned into measurable outcomes. Central to the discussions is how climate conversations are converted into specific priorities, measurable goals, and consistent communication. Just as critical is the role of product and experience innovation, as organizations design for climate-conscious customers while balancing cost, performance, and scale. Supply chains also stand out as a defining challenge, with leaders examining how procurement, logistics, and transparency can cut emissions, improve accountability, and reinforce resilience across industries.
The program also highlights how resilience is shaped at the intersection of nature, technology, and equity. Scientific insight, digital tools, and community engagement must align to support credible adaptation strategies. Finally, the Forum examines reputation and risk, asking how organizations communicate sustainability performance with clarity and substance, while avoiding the pitfalls of greenwashing. Together, these discussions outline a practical framework for embedding sustainability into the core of strategy and operations.
The Agenda for Action
The sessions are designed to move beyond discussion and highlight the practical decisions that define credible climate leadership. Each day focuses on a critical theme, from transforming commitments into measurable progress to managing supply chain transparency, advancing innovation, and strengthening resilience.
Monday, September 22 | 9:00-10:00 AM ET Driving the True Impact of Climate Conversations
Tuesday, September 23 | 9:00-10:00 AM ET Planet-Smart Innovation: Products and Experiences for Climate-Conscious Consumers
Wednesday, September 24 | 9:00-10:00 AM ET Sustainable Supply Chains: The Hidden Frontier of Climate Leadership
Thursday, September 25 | 9:00-10:00 AM ET Nature, Technology, and Equity: The New Pillars of Climate Resilience
Friday, September 26 | 9:00-10:00 AM ET Reputation and Risk: Communicating Climate Leadership in a Skeptical Age
On-Site Networking Reception Wednesday, September 24 | 5:00-7:00 PM ET Hosted by FINN Partners | 1675 Broadway, New York
The Strategic Importance of Sustainability Leadership
The Forum underscores that sustainability is now central to both competitiveness and resilience. The issues under discussion are not abstract aspirations - they are the forces shaping investment flows, customer expectations, and the ability of organizations to grow. Decisions about how to design products, manage supply chains, and prepare for climate risk increasingly determine whether businesses gain market access, attract capital, and maintain trust. Climate leadership has become indistinguishable from corporate leadership.
The importance of this agenda lies in its direct link to long-term value. By focusing on measurable action, the Forum reinforces the view that sustainability is not simply an external requirement but an internal driver of growth, innovation, and credibility. Its impact comes from shifting the conversation away from broad commitments and toward clear, demonstrable progress - showing how leadership can turn vision into outcomes that matter for business performance and for society as a whole.
Defining the Path from Vision to Impact
The most credible sustainability strategies today are specific, time-bound, and tied directly to business fundamentals. The Forum is designed to surface the choices and trade-offs that make this kind of progress possible. Its sessions emphasize the development of products that align with climate expectations, the building of supply chains that are transparent and resilient, and the communication of results that can withstand scrutiny.
What emerges is a clear leadership imperative. Sustainability is no longer a peripheral initiative - it is a defining measure of competitiveness, trust, and long-term resilience. The Forum is not about exploring possibilities in theory. It is about what must be done now - ensuring that vision is matched with execution and that leadership translates into measurable impact for both business and society.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE PROGRAM, THE SPEAKERS AND TO REGISTER, PLEASE VISIT THE EVENT SITE: https://1businessworld.com/2025-climate-sustainability-leadership-forum/
Gil Bashe Brianne Chai-Onn Kristen Delphos Latia Duncombe Debbie Flynn Jay Gaines Adam Garfunkel Victoria Glazar Nicole Grubner Aman Gupta Aila H. Millie Hillman Noah Horton Brad Laporte Chris Micolucci Nico Nicholas Jacques Philippe Izon Reyes Jason Rollins, APR Jeremy Sampson Jillian Semaan Amy Terpeluk Wai Yi Yik Aldo Zucaro, Exec Ph.D., MBA