Our takeaways from GreenBiz 25

Though just weeks into 2025, the ESG landscape has already experienced enough turbulence to rival a full year's worth of changes. That volatility was the background of this year’s GreenBiz conference, held annually in Phoenix. The conference brought together sustainability peers from around the globe to share ideas, inspire one another and talk about what is next in the fight for climate solutions and social responsibility.

Reflecting on the changing political and economic environment, GreenBiz Chairman Joel Makower opened the keynote session with, “This moment reflects a confluence of political, economic, social, technological and environmental forces that are all shifting at the same time, leading to disruptions that we’re just beginning to see, let alone understand. We’re beyond the point where “past is prologue” — where we can expect that tomorrow will vaguely resemble today.”

The CRI team was fortunate to attend the three-day event, talk to peers, meet new faces and absorb a plethora of breakout sessions. Here are our big takeaways to help guide clients as we navigate the evolving ESG landscape:

Align with business value.

ESG initiatives must be positioned as fundamental drivers of business value. This provides a robust defense against critics by demonstrating that these programs directly contribute to financial performance and value creation. When sustainability efforts are proven to enhance operational efficiency, mitigate risks, or drive market differentiation, it becomes significantly harder for skeptics to dismiss them as ideological or politically driven. This value-driven approach allows ESG programs to transcend polarizing social debates by grounding their existence in objective business metrics that matter regardless of one's personal beliefs.

Let materiality guide.

Focusing on business value automatically forces materiality. Materiality should guide ESG strategy and communications, not just check boxes. A rigorous and disciplined approach builds stakeholder credibility by transparently identifying issues truly material to business value, helping to avoid wasted effort on less relevant metrics. This focused approach enables organizations to develop compelling sustainability narratives around key impacts rather than producing scattered updates across too many ESG topics.

Compliance can be more than a burden.

Though SEC climate regulation is done for the foreseeable future, the EU’s CSRD continues to demand energy and resources. While we wait for the Omnibus package that may clarify compliance, this regulation is undoubtably burdensome on many companies. Yet, many GreenBiz panelists spoke of how preparing for CSRD is creating opportunities: forcing companies to systematically identify their financially material sustainability issues; focusing resources where they matter most and strengthening sustainability strategies by revealing key risks and opportunities. Moreover, robust sustainability reporting aligned with EU requirements has become essential for maintaining and growing business in European investment markets.

Don’t let someone else tell your story for you.

Critics, competitors and external stakeholders are not your voice. Your story is yours to tell. Maintain transparent and proactive communications about your responsible business initiatives. This allows you to shape the conversation, demonstrate long-term strategic thinking, and build trust with stakeholders. After all, these stakeholders increasingly expect companies to address systemic challenges. Consistent engagement is especially important during periods of heightened scrutiny or skepticism around ESG as it allows organizations to clearly articulate the connection between initiatives and business value while addressing stakeholder concerns head-on.

Despite the headwinds facing ESG, the energy and commitment demonstrated at GreenBiz 2025 suggest that sustainability professionals are more determined than ever to drive meaningful progress through innovation and collaboration. We’re in this together — want to talk, vent, clarify or strategize? Reach out!