Michael Greenstone
Milton Friedman Distinguished Service Professor, University of Chicago; Co-Founder, Climate Vault
Now more than ever, it is essential for organizations to show the impact of their CSR and ESG-focused work. Organizations face the question of how much they should reveal to the public: Should ESG goals be publicly shared? How can internal goals be expressed externally as organizational impact? Join Exec Club, Edelman, Northern Trust, and PwC on April 26, 2023 to engage with leaders in the CSR and ESG space, share how organizations can commit to their goals, and discuss their impact with a variety of audiences.
Corporate social responsibility and environmental, social, and governance initiatives are no longer practices that organizations can choose to opt out of or put on the back burner. Growing public demand for socially and environmentally responsible companies, combined with rapidly increasing government regulations and reporting requirements, have left organizations in need of a plan to make CSR and ESG initiatives a priority.
How can companies shift and make these issues a key area of focus? What are the right goals to commit to? Will organizations need to completely overhaul their practices to effectively implement ESG/CSR practices? In this opening keynote, hear from leading academics and practitioners in the environmental, social, and governance spaces about the urgency and importance of implementing meaningful CSR/ESG work.
Milton Friedman Distinguished Service Professor, University of Chicago; Co-Founder, Climate Vault
Professor, Northwestern University Kellogg’s Sustainability and Social Impact
Director, Baumhart Center, Loyola University Chicago
Head of Philanthropy Strategy and ESG Integration, William Blair
Organizations can no longer opt out of ESG-focused work, as consumers, partners, and the government all want to ensure companies are reporting their environmental impact and making socially responsible decisions. Organizations must commit to investing in responsible practices, caring for their communities, and working towards an environmentally conscious future.
To meet these goals, companies must commit to robust CSR/ESG plans. Where should organizations start when formulating CSR/ESG initiatives and action plans? How can organizations ensure their goals are reasonable yet impactful? What are the tools employees need to commit to CSR/ESG focused work? Can organizations expect all employees to commit to changing their priorities and workflows to better support CSR/ESG initiatives?
Managing Director, Global Engagement & Corporate Responsibility, Edelman
ESG Controller, Caterpillar
Employee Experience & ESG Leader, WTW
Partner – ESG, PwC
For organizations that have already invested in CSR and ESG initiatives, it can be difficult to determine the next steps for elevating commitments and investments in environmentally and socially conscious work. Companies must make goals that are in line with their strategic plans and in tune with the expectations of external audiences.
By taking the right steps, organizations can broaden their impact, commit to big goals, and become leaders in the CSR/ESG space. How can an organization determine the best next steps in their CSR/ESG journey? What does it look like to commit to lofty goals publicly? How should an organization respond to failure to meet these goals? What are the best ways to gauge the expectations of external shareholders and craft goals that meet the strategic needs of the organization?
Partner, US ESG Leader, PwC
CEO, Telesto Strategy
Organizations cannot commit to lofty, impactful commitments to corporate social responsibility and environmental, social, and governance-focused work without support from key decision-makers. For an organization to have long-term success in their initiatives, they must have the backing from those in leadership. What do leaders need to consider when committing to ESG/CSR initiatives? Why is making these commitments necessary for business? What happens if the organization cannot fulfill its publicly-made promises? How can leaders support their staff members who are leading the way in the CSR/ESG initiatives?
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Northern Trust
Regional President of Illinois, PNC Bank
Head of Corporate Sustainability, Inclusion and Social Impact, Northern Trust
Managing Director, Global Engagement and Corporate Responsibility, Edelman
Head of Corporate Sustainability, Inclusion and Social Impact, Northern Trust
US ESG Leader, PwC
