Kellogg on Sustainability: The Business of Climate Change

Climate change is one of humanity’s grand challenges, global in scale and with far-reaching effects on the lives of current and future generations. Business leaders increasingly recognize that climate change will transform the economy by both destroying and creating economic value. Regardless of how governments respond, the challenge of climate change mitigation and adaptation at a global scale requires accelerated action. It creates opportunity for new models of public-private partnerships on local, regional, national, and international levels. Business responses to climate change are thus no longer limited to corporate social responsibility, but material to the financial well-being and long term viability of firms and their stakeholders. This conference focuses on the far-reaching consequences that arise from this realization.

The challenge for businesses today is how to integrate climate change considerations into core business processes and decisions, from market strategy and product development to operational and financial control. This event brings together thought leaders from business and policy perspectives to discuss advanced, practical solutions.

The Kellogg School of Management and the Institute for Sustainability and Energy at Northwestern (ISEN) are pleased to co-host this conference on April 12, 2019 at Northwestern University’s Evanston, IL campus.

This conference is being supported by the Exelon Sustainability Seminar Series Fund at Kellogg. The Series brings together Northwestern faculty and other sustainability experts to examine issues of relevance in the field of sustainability.

Who will attend?

Attendance is by invitation only. Participants will include decision makers across industries and business functions for whom climate change is, or will be, relevant. This includes experts in corporate sustainability, operations and supply chain, finance, business and product development, or marketing, as well as entrepreneurs.

Why attend?

A combination of panels, keynotes and workshops will foster engaged conversation in an intimate and safe setting. Relevant questions include,

• How does climate change impact the way I run my business?
• What responses do investors, policy makers and consumers expect from businesses as they make decisions?
• What are best practices for business leaders to integrate climate change into enterprise-wide decision making?