Curt Custard

Putting Principle into Practice: How to Make Sustainability Profitable

Ryan Brennan, Curt Custard, Hiromichi Mizuno, John Murphy, Hugh O'Reilly, Mark Watson, Hiro Mizuno

Senior executives from major global entities including GPIF, Newton, Coca-Cola, and John Swire & Sons convened to analyze the integration of sustainability into long-term investment and corporate strategy. The panelists established a consensus that divestment is less effective than active engagement, citing empirical evidence that engaged companies generate significantly higher returns while avoiding the "rhetoric" caused by undefined standards. Key outcomes included the adoption of rigorous ESG metrics, the alignment of executive compensation with sustainability goals, and a strategic shift toward cross-sector collaboration to address complex challenges like water scarcity and decarbonization.