Let’s talk about accountability.
Not the kind that shows up in QBRs or gets filed in an Excel sheet labeled “miscellaneous ESG efforts.” I’m talking about the kind of accountability that keeps you up at night, the future-of-your-brand, your-business, and yes, your-planet kind.
After more than 30 years in the packaging industry, and now leading a company squarely focused on sustainable innovation, I can tell you this: Climate change is no longer a “someday” problem. It’s already showing up to your meetings, messing with your supply chain, and asking uncomfortable questions on earnings calls. If you’re sitting in the C-Suite and still treating sustainability like a hobby project, here’s the wake-up call:
This isn’t optional leadership anymore.
Climate Change Is a Business Issue (Not Just Something for Earth Day)
Let’s connect the dots:
- Droughts? Say goodbye to predictable sourcing.
- Floods? Hope you didn’t need that warehouse.
- Fires? Good luck meeting your shipping timelines, or your carbon targets.
- Consumers? They’ve read your packaging fine print and they have notes.
- Investors? ESG is now due diligence, not decoration.
- Regulators? Ever tangled with SB54 before coffee?
You get the point. The climate crisis is now a business continuity issue. And no, your sustainability coordinator cannot fix it alone.
The Buy-In Has to Come From the Corner Office
Let me be blunt: if climate action hasn’t made it onto your strategy whiteboard, then you’re not leading, you’re just managing risk (badly).
Here’s what leadership looks like:
- CFOs: Sometimes, the greener option takes longer to pay off. That’s called investing. You’ve done it before. You can do it again.
- CMOs: “Carbon neutral” isn’t a campaign, unless it’s also a capital expense.
- COOs: Climate-smart operations mean rethinking everything from materials to miles.
- CEOs: This is your culture to shift. And no, you can’t delegate the hard part.
What Courage Actually Looks Like
Let me brag about a client for a second.
When Semaine Health’s Lauren Lee and Matthew Crane came to us, they didn’t just want beautiful packaging, they wanted to mitigate plastic use and make a statement. It wasn’t easy. It wasn’t cheap. But it was meaningful. That decision earned them loyal customers, industry respect, and two major packaging awards.
That’s leadership. Not lip service.
My Challenge to Fellow Executives
Here’s the big question:
If climate impact were a KPI, how would your operations look?
Because spoiler alert: it is. Whether you’re tracking it or not. Mitigation doesn’t require perfection. It requires momentum. It’s about choosing the slightly harder path today so we’re not facing the impossible one tomorrow. So, if you’re a leader who’s ready to stop chasing short-term optics and start building long-term value, let’s talk.
Lead like the future depends on it…Because it does.