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Show Results For
- All HBS Web
(1,154)
- News (249)
- Research (551)
- Events (3)
- Multimedia (13)
- Faculty Publications (329)
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- March 2021 (Revised April 2021)
- Case
Making Impact Investing Markets: IFC (A)
By: Shawn A. Cole, John Masko and T. Robert Zochowski
In 2017, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) faced the first big investment decision in its new Scaling Solar project. Founded in 1956, IFC was an international investment body with national governments as shareholders, whose mission was to promote economic... View Details
Keywords: Impact Investing; Development Economics; Developing Countries and Economies; Renewable Energy; Climate Change; Environmental Sustainability; Borrowing and Debt; Credit; Equity; Bonds; Financing and Loans; Growth and Development; Emerging Markets; Non-Governmental Organizations; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Investment; Decision Making; Financial Services Industry; Energy Industry; Zambia
Cole, Shawn A., John Masko, and T. Robert Zochowski. "Making Impact Investing Markets: IFC (A)." Harvard Business School Case 221-061, March 2021. (Revised April 2021.)
- January 2015 (Revised August 2015)
- Background Note
Climate Change: An Unfolding Story
By: Joseph B. Lassiter III, Sid Misra and Stephanie Puzio
In some parts of the world, the impacts of climate change will prove to be relatively manageable, particularly for the rich. In some parts of the world, these will not, particularly for the poor. The only certainty is that humanity's collective actions will force every... View Details
Keywords: Global Warming; Carbon; Carbon Cycle; CO2; GHG; Greenhouse Gas; IPCC; International Panel On Climate Change; Climate Change
Lassiter, Joseph B., III, Sid Misra, and Stephanie Puzio. "Climate Change: An Unfolding Story." Harvard Business School Background Note 815-079, January 2015. (Revised August 2015.)
- 2021
- Working Paper
Shareholder Activism and Firms’ Voluntary Disclosure of Climate Change Risks
By: Caroline Flammer, Michael W. Toffel and Kala Viswanathan
This paper examines whether—in the absence of mandated disclosure requirements—shareholder activism can elicit greater disclosure of firms’ exposure to climate change risks. We find that environmental shareholder activism increases the voluntary disclosure of climate... View Details
Keywords: Shareholder Activism; Climate Risk; Corporate Accountability; Climate Change; Corporate Disclosure; Corporate Governance; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Business and Shareholder Relations; Risk and Uncertainty; Natural Environment; Environmental Sustainability; Financial Services Industry; United States
Flammer, Caroline, Michael W. Toffel, and Kala Viswanathan. "Shareholder Activism and Firms' Voluntary Disclosure of Climate Change Risks." Harvard Business School Working Paper, No. 20-049, October 2019. (Revised March 2021.)
- Fall 2024
- Article
The Case for Climate Alliances
By: Matteo Gasparini, Knut Haanaes, Emily Tedards and Peter Tufano
Business leaders are under pressure to address the climate crisis, but they can’t do so alone. Climate alliances can help leaders and firms be more ambitious, responsible, and effective in driving the systems change necessary to save the planet. View Details
Gasparini, Matteo, Knut Haanaes, Emily Tedards, and Peter Tufano. "The Case for Climate Alliances." Stanford Social Innovation Review 22, no. 4 (Fall 2024): 48–57.
- January 2020
- Background Note
Climate Change in 2020: Implications for Business
By: Rebecca M. Henderson, Sophus A. Reinert and Mariana Oseguera
This note provides general information about climate change and its implications for business. Included is an overview of climate change science and a number of its impacts, including rising sea levels, changing weather patterns and extreme weather, pressure on water... View Details
Keywords: Climate Change; Environmental Accounting; Agribusiness; Economic Growth; Energy Conservation; Energy Generation; Renewable Energy; Energy Sources; Non-Renewable Energy; Globalized Markets and Industries; National Security; Government Legislation; Operations; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Problems and Challenges; Risk and Uncertainty; Natural Disasters; Natural Environment; Environmental Sustainability; Pollutants; Science-Based Business; Weather; Society; Technology
Henderson, Rebecca M., Sophus A. Reinert, and Mariana Oseguera. "Climate Change in 2020: Implications for Business." Harvard Business School Background Note 320-087, January 2020. (Click here for a complimentary copy on the Business & Environment Initiative’s site.)
- November–December 2024
- Article
How Robust Is Your Climate Governance?
By: Lynn S. Paine and Suraj Srinivasan
During the past few years, as evidence of climate change and its effects has mounted, many corporate boards have added climate governance to their agendas. But the maturity of boards’ climate-oversight processes and activities varies widely.
To better... View Details
To better... View Details
Keywords: Corporate Governance; Climate Change; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Governing and Advisory Boards
Paine, Lynn S., and Suraj Srinivasan. "How Robust Is Your Climate Governance?" Harvard Business Review 102, no. 6 (November–December 2024): 86–95.
- May 2025
- Case
'Net Zero in Action': Impact Investing at the McKnight Foundation
By: Lauren Cohen, Christina R. Wing and Sophia Pan
Elizabeth McGeveran, Vice President of Investments at the McKnight Foundation, reflected on how to effectively advance the organization’s net-zero strategy. The foundation had committed 10% of its endowment to building a portfolio of impact investments and was among... View Details
Keywords: Investment Fund; Philanthropy; Charitable Donations; Sustainability; Foundation; Impact Investing; ESG; Family Business; Forecasting and Prediction; Private Sector; Renewable Energy; Social Entrepreneurship; Climate Change; Environmental Sustainability; Green Technology; Financial Strategy; Investment Funds; Investment Portfolio; Institutional Investing; Corporate Accountability; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Mission and Purpose; Private Ownership; Philanthropy and Charitable Giving; Social Issues; Sustainable Cities; Financial Services Industry; Minnesota; United States
- October 2007 (Revised October 2009)
- Case
Global Climate Change and BP
By: Forest L. Reinhardt and Mikell Hyman
Following the sudden resignation of Sir John Browne, Tony Hayward, BP CEO, must decide how global climate change management will figure into BP's corporate strategy. Climate change management was a major part of BP's strategy under Browne: In 1997 Browne broke from his... View Details
Keywords: Change Management; Climate Change; Corporate Strategy; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Management Teams; Environmental Sustainability; Government and Politics; Energy Sources; Global Strategy; Operations; Utilities Industry; Energy Industry; United Kingdom
Reinhardt, Forest L., and Mikell Hyman. "Global Climate Change and BP." Harvard Business School Case 708-026, October 2007. (Revised October 2009.)
- 09 Sep 2013
- Lessons from the Classroom
Teaching Climate Change to Skeptics
largely man-made and urgent action was needed]. In New York, while nearly 100 percent thought climate change was man-made, only half believed there was the political will--in the United States or abroad--to take urgent actions that would... View Details
Keywords: by Carmen Nobel
- 2008
- Book
Climate Change: What's Your Business Strategy?
By: Andrew J. Hoffman and John G. Woody
Climate change is one of the most pressing challenges facing the world today. And increasingly, it's become a crucial business issue. How will you and your company respond?
In Climate Change: What's Your Business Strategy? Andrew Hoffman and John... View Details
In Climate Change: What's Your Business Strategy? Andrew Hoffman and John... View Details
Hoffman, Andrew J., and John G. Woody. Climate Change: What's Your Business Strategy? Harvard Business Press, 2008. (Chinese Edition: 必看！绿色战略中的商机, China Machine Press; Danish Edition: Klimaforandring - Hvad er din forretningsstrategi?, Gyldendal, 2009; Portuguese Edition: Mudanças Climáticas: Desafios e Oportunidades Empresariais, Elsevier and Alterações Climáticas, Actual Editoras.)
- March 2025
- Case
The Changing Climate on Wall Street
By: Clayton S. Rose, Maxim Pike Harrell and Michael Norris
Increasing and conflicting regulatory requirements and political pressures regarding climate change tested the leaders of U.S. financial institutions, as they struggled to determine how best to comply while managing their business and its risks.
In October 2024,... View Details
In October 2024,... View Details
Keywords: Competency and Skills; Decision Making; Cost vs Benefits; Ethics; Corporate Accountability; Leadership; Management; Risk Management; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Mission and Purpose; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Organizational Culture; Civil Society or Community; Social Issues; Adaptation; Risk and Uncertainty; Insurance; Climate Change; Change Management; Banking Industry; Financial Services Industry; Insurance Industry; United States; Europe
Rose, Clayton S., Maxim Pike Harrell, and Michael Norris. "The Changing Climate on Wall Street." Harvard Business School Case 325-020, March 2025.
- 17 Sep 2024
- HBS Case
The Climate Targets Leaders Need to Know as Regulations Loom
As investor pressure mounts on companies to show their environmental impacts, leaders are encountering an unwieldy tangle of terms and approaches. Climate accounting basics and a dictionary of sorts can help demystify the calculations and voluntary targets that... View Details
Keywords: by Rachel Layne
- 15 Mar 2017
- Lessons from the Classroom
More Than 900 Examples of How Climate Change Affects Business
This word cloud is composed of blog posts by more than 900 students describing how individual organizations are likely to be affected by climate change. Image by Patrick Clapp Last fall, first-year MBA students at Harvard Business School received a new assignment in... View Details
- October 2007
- Article
Grist: A Strategic Approach to Climate
By: Michael E. Porter and Forest Reinhardt
Climate change will affect everything businesses do, as government efforts to mitigate carbon emissions cause their prices to rise steeply. This special edition of Forethought takes a hard-nosed look at the risks and opportunities of climate change. Michael E. Porter... View Details
Keywords: Customer Value and Value Chain; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Leadership; Logistics; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Performance Improvement; Climate Change; Competitive Advantage; Corporate Strategy
Porter, Michael E., and Forest Reinhardt. "Grist: A Strategic Approach to Climate." Forethought. Harvard Business Review 85, no. 10 (October 2007): 22–26.
- November 2022 (Revised March 2024)
- Case
Northvolt: Building Batteries to Fight Climate Change
In 2016, Swedish entrepreneurs Carl-Erik Lagercrantz and Peter Carlsson founded an electric battery company called Northvolt with the dual goals of creating a company to address climate change and bringing battery manufacture to Europe. Northvolt, which succeeded in... View Details
Keywords: Batteries; Climate Change; Factories, Labs, and Plants; Green Technology; Mission and Purpose; Goals and Objectives; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Green Technology Industry; Battery Industry; Sweden; Europe
Serafeim, George, Debora L. Spar, P. Tufano, and Julia M. Comeau. "Northvolt: Building Batteries to Fight Climate Change." Harvard Business School Case 323-042, November 2022. (Revised March 2024.)
- August 2021 (Revised October 2024)
- Case
Allbirds: Decarbonizing Fashion
By: Michael W. Toffel, Kenneth P. Pucker and Eren Kuzucu
The Allbirds: Decarbonizing Fashion (A) case introduces Allbirds as a footwear startup not only focused on simple design, comfort, and sustainable natural materials but on decarbonizing the wider fashion industry. Background material highlights the growing... View Details
Keywords: Decarbonization; Climate Impact; Environmental Strategy; Innovation; Product Design; Supply Chain Management; Innovation Strategy; Innovation and Management; Product Development; Climate Change; Environmental Management; Environmental Sustainability; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Fashion Industry; United States; California
Toffel, Michael W., Kenneth P. Pucker, and Eren Kuzucu. "Allbirds: Decarbonizing Fashion (A)." Harvard Business School Case 622-024, August 2021. (Revised October 2024.)
- 30 Nov 2021
- In Practice
What's the Role of Business in Confronting Climate Change?
The 26th annual United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties, also known as COP26, ended with a hard-fought pact that called on businesses and governments to meet their climate change goals faster. The event followed an August report by the Intergovernmental... View Details
Keywords: by Lynn Schenk and Dina Gerdeman
- October 20, 2023
- Article
How ENGOs Can Support Corporate Climate Change Efforts
Nearly half of CEOs view climate change as affecting their companies now or within the coming decade, but there is also a wide gap between what CEOs say is progress on tackling climate change and what many of their investors believe are effective actions. Companies... View Details
Keywords: Climate Change; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Business and Shareholder Relations
Toffel, Michael W. "How ENGOs Can Support Corporate Climate Change Efforts." Harvard Business Review (website) (October 20, 2023).
- April 2025
- Supplement
Allbirds: Decarbonizing Fashion PowerPoint Supplement
By: Michael W. Toffel, Ken Pucker and Stacy Straaberg
The Allbirds: Decarbonizing Fashion (A) case introduces Allbirds as a footwear startup not only focused on simple design, comfort, and sustainable natural materials but on decarbonizing the wider fashion industry. Background material highlights the growing... View Details
Keywords: Decarbonization; Climate Impact; Environmental Strategy; Innovation; Product Design; Supply Chain Management; Innovation Strategy; Innovation and Management; Product Development; Climate Change; Environmental Management; Environmental Sustainability; Apparel and Accessories Industry; Fashion Industry; United States; California
- 2025
- Chapter
Institutional Entrepreneurship and Climate Change
By: Ann-Kristin Bergquist and Geoffrey Jones
This chapter explores when and why private regulatory governance systems became the primary form of global environmental governance. The chapter explores two different historical paths in such private regulation and how they came about. The first path involved... View Details
Keywords: Institutional Entrepreneurship; Environment; Climate Change; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Environmental Regulation; Standards; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact
Bergquist, Ann-Kristin, and Geoffrey Jones. "Institutional Entrepreneurship and Climate Change." Chap. 1 in Climate Change and Business: Historical Perspectives, edited by Teresa da Silva Lopes, Paul Duguid, and Robert Fredona, 8–29. London, United Kingdom: Routledge, 2025.