There are no vaccines to contain rising sea levels. In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the forthcoming impact of climate change will increasingly be not just an environmental problem, but a social one as well. The pandemic reminded us that we are all affected by our society and environment. As such, it has given a greater sense of urgency to deal with environmental and social issues — the ‘E’ and the ‘S’ in ESG.
As bad as the pandemic has been, it has also shed insight on how much worse things could be if climate change predictions come to pass. And, as we well know, those with the fewest resources will be most affected as coasts disappear, fertile lands go barren, and millions are displaced.
With that in mind, how can business leaders and investors employ the lessons learned from the pandemic to adopt a longer-term mindset – and one that incorporates ESG into long-term risk analysis? And who will be the catalysts to drive change?
To that end, former investment banker and now-Prof. Vikram Gandhi developed and teaches Harvard Business School’s first graduate-level course on impact investing. Vikram can share his perspective that businesses must consider ESG in long-term risk analysis, and what business leaders must do to drive change.
He can also speak from his classroom experience as to how the next generation of business leaders will not only drive positive changes as leaders, investors, and innovators, but also as consumers and employees. Millennials and Gen Z have, on average, increasingly adopted a more values-based approach to both work and spending than older generations. This will in turn cause employers and companies to alter the way they are doing business in response.
Vikram Gandhi shares his thoughts on climate change and the pandemic in a recent MarketWatch op-ed: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/how-the-covid-19-pandemic-can-be-the-push-forward-the-planet-needs-11611968708?mod=hp_minor_pos19
As in this short video: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/vikramgandhi_esg-activity-6740618747033268224-JCA2
