From crisis to the new normal

In today’s rapidly evolving market environment, businesses face growing pressure to move beyond the outdated ‘take-make-waste’ model. The future be...

An integrated approach to activities that occur outside of markets can have important impacts for companies

The case highlights the significant role played by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in reducing its environmental footprint and promoting sustainability in sports. As the leader of the Olympic movement, the IOC bore the responsibility of setting a positive example to inspire the broader sports community. With ambitious climate targets aiming to cut its carbon footprint in half by 2030, the IOC implemented a range of measures to reduce the environmental impact of its organization. These included the introduction of carbon budgeting, the adoption of innovative carbon footprint management tools as well as specific measures targeting areas such as mobility, building management and procurement. The Olympic House, inaugurated in 2019, was built according to some of the highest sustainability standards and stood as a testament of the IOC’s commitment to sustainability. Strategies to reduce emissions associated with international business travel, a major contributor to the organization’s overall carbon footprint, were particularly successful. The impact of these measures had to be carefully evaluated, considering their potential effects on organizational culture, efficiency, communication, employee satisfaction and talent attraction. Furthermore, the IOC leadership reflected on the effectiveness of its actions in inspiring other organizations within the Olympic movement to embrace sustainability practices. Looking ahead, the IOC remained committed to intensifying its efforts to achieve its carbon reduction goals by 2030. This included exploring improvements in impact measurement and introducing incentive schemes aimed at further encouraging carbon reduction.

To restore Rio Tinto's social license and direct its decarbonization activities, CEO Jakob Stausholm places a strong emphasis on developing relatio...

The Inner Development Goals (IDGs) help leaders to tackle tough challenges and drive meaningful change. Learn more about IMD's Leading Sustainable ...

Entrepreneurs adopt informal or formal approaches to business, depending on regulatory pressures and other challenges

Skanska’s Lena Hök describes how the construction company’s focus on cutting emissions helps it develop solutions for customers

The BRICS economic grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa are sitting in the catbird seat as the world’s wealthiest nations spe...

Smarter regulation is required to nudge luxury brands into a more sustainable future, industry experts tell Stéphane J G Girod

We study the effects of carbon transition risk on equity prices in the United States and Europe using disclosed carbon intensity data and find a ne...