A New Bright Line: The 6th Annual Businesswomen’s Sustainability Leadership Summit

By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

In 1972, we got our first real glimpse of what the Earth looked like from outer space with the iconic “Blue Marble” photograph taken by astronauts aboard the Apollo 17 spacecraft. But as Kathy Robb, Partner at Hunton and Williams and Chair of the Women’s Network for a Sustainable Future (WNSF) explained, it wasn’t just a pretty picture— it represented much more.

“This perspective, never before possible, dramatically affected our appreciation of the natural environment,” she said. Today’s view of sustainability “may well be another bright line,” she continued.

On Tuesday, October 6th, WNSF held its 6th annual Businesswomen’s Sustainability Leadership Summit. Entitled “New Dynamics of Sustainability Leadership: Changing Roles, Fresh Opportunities,” the summit took place at the Institute for International Education at the U.N. and brought together 200 women to discuss the new dynamics of sustainability in the business world.

Featuring women from the nation’s top companies, speakers and guests at the summit came together to discuss new ways of doing business in light of the ever-growing importance of sustainability.

Business Sustainability: More Than a Passing Fad

As keynote speaker Linda Fisher, Chief Sustainability Officer and VP, Safety, Health & Environment for DuPont and Deputy Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency explained, sustainability is becoming an important issue, rather than the fad predicted by naysayers just a few years ago. She remarked, “I can’t think of a more dynamic time to be involved in working with the environment.”

Fisher was presented with the Busineswomen’s Sustainability Leadership Award for her work in putting DuPont at the forefront of sustainable business strategy. Upon receiving the award, Fisher joked about when she told her older brother she was going to be focusing on environmental law upon receiving her law degree 25 years ago. “He said, ‘The environment – well, that will be a very nice boutique practice.’ No way is it a boutique or narrow practice now.”

Her talk focused on three things: why the emphasis on sustainability is here to stay; the importance of cooperation between industry leaders, non-governmental organizations and activists, and consumers; and the role government regulation should play in the mix.

First, responding to criticism of “greenwashing” in the industry, Fisher said that it exists, but there is also “real meaningful change” going on in many companies. She went on to say that the reason for the meaningful change is that sustainability initiatives aren’t simply an afterthought, they are “part of the conversation about growth.” Fisher explained that as consumers become more conscious of environmental concerns, industry must respond to stay competitive and innovative.

Fisher recalled that in the 1980s, business leaders complained that they wished people in the environmental community understood business. “Well, now they do,” she added. And they exercise this knowledge in two ways: first, by utilizing the market as a venue for change—whether through the boycott of products they deem environmentally unsound or putting their purchasing power to work buying products they feel support their values; and, second, by embracing a new view of technology and innovation as things that will allow the world to become more sustainable.

Industry must “invent solutions” and make technological breakthroughs, Fisher said, rather than dourly abide by regulations. “Successful companies have always known where their customers were going before the customers did,” she explained. “Economic success will really come first to those companies that have integrated sustainability into their business models.”

Finally, Fisher discussed the role of government regulation in sustainability. Regulation is necessary, she said, because the marketplace is imperfect. “We do need the hot breath of the EPA.”

But regulation needs to be fair, she said. It should also be cost effective, drive innovation, protect the public, and level the playing field. And, because we operate in a global economy, the government needs to consider the global impact of its regulations. It needs “to get the rules of the road clear.”

Sustainability Leadership and Market-Based Initiatives

Following Fisher’s speech, the audience broke out until small groups to discuss what their companies are doing to approach sustainability.

Suzette Rhodes, LEED AP Industry IIDA, A&D Sales Representative for HermanMiller explained that her company views sustainability not as a differentiator but as an opportunity for leadership. By focusing on transparency, the company invites others in its industry to learn about sustainability initiatives and practices. “We need to take other companies with us. Sustainability is more than a competitive advantage,” Rhodes explained.

Following the small group session, Marlys Appleton, VP AIG Investments and WNSF Board Member introduced the panel dialogue. The panel featured Hye-Won Choi, Senior VP, Head of Corporate Governance, TIAA-CREF and Co-Chair, SEC Investor Advisory Committee, Beth Keck, Senior Director, International Sustainability & Strategy, Walmart, Dr. Sharon Nunes, VP, Strategic Growth Initiatives, IBM, and Dr. Ponni Subbiah, VP of Global Access Strategy, Pfizer, Inc.

These company leaders also emphasized the importance of market-based sustainability initiatives, and called for companies to incorporate sustainability into their growth strategies.

Finally, Michelle Moore, the Obama Administration’s Federal Environmental Executive gave her remarks. She called for reductions in water and energy use by the federal government, saying that it’s time for the government to “practice what it preaches.”

Above all, the summit’s leaders and participants agreed: cooperation between the industry, environmental community, consumers, and government is key in tackling global environmental challenges. If this level of dialogue continues, we may indeed be seeing a new bright line in our approach sustainability and environmental issues in business.