GreenBiz’25 summed up, from our community’s perspective
published 2.20.25
Our favorite sustainability retreat… I mean conference was a whirlwind, full of hope, connections and resistance. Here’s what some of the people in our community took away from 3 days in the desert together.
1. Make friends (not just acquaintances) everywhere
“It’s critical to make real/genuine connections across industries to truly have a diverse and trusted circle to brainstorm with in these times of uncertainty."
-Meredith Ledbetter, ESG & Sustainability Program Manager, Bumble
2. Listen to your gut
“Your feelings about this work and this moment in time - grief, anger, excitement, hope - are more than fleeting emotions; they’re clear indicators of what matters most to you and powerful motivators for action.”
-Emily Bosland, Senior Director of ESG Engagement & Responsible Business, Verizon
3. We may be moving slower than we’d like, but we are moving forward
When we take a step back and look at the arc of progress, it's incredibly inspiring to see how leaders before us have paved the way, and how every incremental step adds to the momentum of the changes that we're trying to achieve.
One of my favorite keynote sessions was "Tracing the Arc of the CSO Profession" with Jill Dumain (previously Patagonia) and Kathleen Talbot (Reformation), facilitated by Hana Kajimura (Trellis, previously Allbirds). Jill reflected on her time working at Patagonia starting in the 90s and the challenge of trying to source organic cotton and bring it through the supply chain; a time when it was challenging to find the material, motivate the supply chain to utilize it, and communicate to customers with limited understanding of what organic cotton even meant. Fast forward a few decades, and Kathleen shared that when she started at Reformation 10 years ago, sourcing organic cotton was table stakes, and they focused their material sourcing efforts on what could push the industry even further, like regenerative cotton.
-Aileen Lerch, Director of Sustainability, Allbirds
4. ESG was never meant to be the face of a movement
“People still have high expectations of companies, but we have a jargon problem that feels divisive. We can improve our message without changing our mindsets or our values.
Sustainability and responsible business activities are as material to businesses as ever, but we have to maintain prioritization and focus. We need to ensure we're doing this work in the pillars of the business where it makes the most sense.
And, scenario planning is so necessary. Company leadership and Boards need to lean in here more than they have in the past, to consider dependencies and possible outcomes.”
-Chelsey Evans, Consultant, qb.
5. Let’s lean into “better for the business” right now (but also forever)
“Building better business through sustainability was a recurring theme at GreenBiz25. It’s a truly evergreen topic regardless of an organization's industry, maturity, or the current administration.”
-Sean McPhillips, Head of ESG, Asana
6. Change is coming, and we can handle it
“This is not the first time we have been canceled, and it won’t be the last. Sustainability / impact / CSR / ESG people are pioneers, blue sky thinkers, activists and dreamers; we thrive under pressure. This moment is an opportunity for a rebrand and a much needed pivot. We’re not going anywhere.”
-Noemí Jiménez, Communications Lead & Partner, qb.
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by Noemí Jiménez
Communications Lead & Cofounder
