“Two years ago, the U.S. Defense Secretary called climate change an ‘existential threat.' Unfortunately, since then too few businesses have approached sustainability with the urgency that this threat necessitates.”
John Chuang CEO, Aquent
For many companies, purchasing carbon offsets seems a swift and convenient solution, but in reality these offsets hardly move the needle. In fact, the reported efficacy of these offsets is often exaggerated and inaccurate. John Chuang, Founder and CEO of Aquent, recently penned an op-ed for Fast Company where he discussed why leaders need to change the way that they work to offset climate change. He highlights the urgency of the situation means companies need to go beyond simply carbon offsetting—an activity that saw around $100 million in expenditure in 2022. Chuang goes on to examine how businesses can reduce their carbon footprint by seriously considering the positive impact of remote work from a sustainability perspective, as well as long term investments in climate initiatives like solar and wind energy and reforestation. The onus, he says, is on leaders to treat the issue with the urgency that the threat necessitates instead of being concerned about how sustainable decision making will impact their bottom line.
This article originally appeared on Fast Company.
