Microlearning Lesson

The Business Case for Sustainability

Beyond Doing the Right Thing

This short lesson looks at how sustainability becomes relevant to business when it is linked to value creation, value protection, risk and reputation.

Join the Hub — €99/year

Lesson Overview

What actually drives action?

In an ideal world, companies would act sustainably because it is the right thing to do. In practice, most business decisions are shaped by commercial incentives.

This lesson looks at sustainability through a business lens, focusing on revenue, costs, risk, reputation and consumer behaviour.

In this lesson, we explore:

  • Why moral arguments alone rarely change business behaviour
  • The commercial forces that shape sustainability decisions
  • How sustainability connects to value creation and value protection
  • The role informed consumers can play in influencing company behaviour

Access This Lesson

This lesson is included in the Sustainable Investment Hub, with annual access to selected courses, guides, webinars and microlearning lessons on responsible investment, ESG and sustainability.

€99/year

Join the Hub

Short lessons. Clear thinking.

A practical look at the business case for sustainability and the incentives that shape corporate behaviour.

Vincent McCarthy, CFA
Founder, Responsible Investment Institute®