Day 1 at GreenBiz 25 is done, from supply chain revolutions to the role of AI in sustainability, one thing is clear: business as usual won’t cut it anymore. With the backdrop of a rapidly shifting global economy and climate crisis, sustainability leaders, policymakers, and corporate executives gathered to discuss how to drive real change, not just check ESG boxes. The recurring theme? We need radical action, not incremental progress. Here are some of my key takeaways from GreenBiz 25, insights that will shape how businesses approach sustainability in 2025 and beyond.
1. The age of incrementalism is over: time for bold action
Many sustainability professionals admitted they feel stuck in a cycle of “doing less bad” rather than driving real transformation. Joel Makower, Chairman & Co-Founder, GreenBiz Group, shared:
“I’ll be blunt—even the leaders in this room are being aggressively incremental. We’re making lots of small tweaks, but it’s not enough. The challenges ahead require transformation at the scale and speed we’ve never attempted before.”
Sustainability isn’t just about reducing carbon footprints anymore. It’s about rebuilding industries, supply chains, and economies to be truly regenerative. And that means rethinking business models, not just optimizing them. The challenge? Getting leadership on board. Several speakers emphasized the need to push executives outside their comfort zones to secure real investment in sustainability. Joel went on to share:
“We need to optimize for impact and unlock increasingly bigger goals. We need to focus on business value, not business virtue.”
2. Supply chains: the next sustainability battleground
The road to net zero runs through supplier relationships, regenerative materials, and data transparency. But companies still face pushback from suppliers hesitant to adapt. Jill Dumain, Former Director of Environmental Strategy at Patagonia, Partner at Fractal CSOs, noted:
“Innovation starts at the supplier level. You need to be on the ground, meeting with suppliers, challenging them, and working together on solutions. If something seems impossible, ask ‘what if?’ and push until you find a way.”
A standout moment was Reformation’s strategy of skipping conventional cotton entirely, proving that setting a high sustainability bar from day one can be a competitive advantage. Kathleen Talbot, CSO & VP of Operations, explained:
“Our brand was founded with sustainability at its core, so we never sourced conventional cotton. The challenge now is pushing further: leveraging blockchain, traceability, and new materials to create the next wave of impact.”
This signals a shift in mindset: instead of simply asking, “How can we make this more sustainable?” businesses should be asking, “How can we completely rethink how this is made?”
3. Sustainability is no longer a side hustle, it’s a business imperative
Multiple speakers reinforced that the sustainability movement is at an inflection point. It’s no longer just about ethics, it’s about economic survival. The businesses that succeed will be those that treat sustainability as a driver of growth and innovation, not just a compliance requirement. Caitlin Leibert, VP of Sustainability, Whole Foods, noted:
“If you want to make progress at scale, you actually have to place your bets and go full steam ahead. Sustainability isn’t a side initiative anymore; it’s central to business strategy.”
4. Engaging consumers and employees is non-negotiable
If companies want sustainability initiatives to stick, they need to win the hearts and minds of employees and consumers. Storytelling was a recurring theme: companies that can connect sustainability to real-world impact in a compelling way will win trust and loyalty. Van Riker, Engagement Lead, Microsoft shared:
“We need to move past doom and gloom messaging. Consumers, especially Gen Z, want to feel empowered, not hopeless. Sustainability should be positioned as an exciting movement, not a burden.”
Additionally, Tulane Montgomery, CEO, New Profit noted:
“Sustainability needs to be irresistible, even to skeptics. We have to find ways to make sustainable choices the easy, default option.”
The key? Make sustainability tangible. People won’t act on a company’s net zero pledge, but they will act if they can see how a single product choice, investment, or initiative makes a difference.
5. The future is collaborative: no one can solve this alone
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from GreenBiz 25 was the emphasis on collaboration. The companies making the biggest strides aren’t competing on sustainability; they’re partnering to share knowledge and scale impact. Industry-wide coalitions, public-private partnerships, and cross-sector innovation will be the driving forces of sustainability progress in 2025. Caitlin Leibert elaborated:
“No one company will ‘win’ the climate crisis. We need to break out of our silos and recognize that our collective impact is far greater than individual efforts.”
Final thoughts: the heat is on
The challenge ahead is massive, but so is the potential for impact. The companies that lean into bold transformation will thrive. Those that hesitate will be left in the dust.
And with that, we gear up for Day 2 and more key takeaways from GreenBiz. Here’s to more insights, more action, and more momentum toward a sustainable future.
