5 ways to put sustainability at the forefront of your business with ‘green leadership’

In 2024, the “green” industry — which prioritizes long-term sustainability to combat climate change — goes just beyond renewables, recycling and clean energy. 

Green companies now include everything from finance to fashion to gaming, all of which increasingly aim to reduce carbon, energy use and pollution. 

Business leaders increasingly need to be “green leaders,” at least in concept. The 2024 Millsumit featured a two-person panel called “Cultivating Green Leadership,” sharing tips and advice on how to incorporate sustainability into leadership. Being a “green leader” isn’t much different from other titles, the experts said — it’s just that sustainability is a bigger part of their everyday efforts. 

“We don’t actually use the term ‘green leader’ in the green space,” said Nick Martin, cofounder of Carbon Reform, a growing carbon capture startup founded in Delaware. “Have empathy … care for people outside of yourself.”

The sustainability ethos will only become stronger as more companies take on “‘green” ’ efforts. 

The International Labor Organization estimates that 24 million jobs worldwide could be created by the green economy by 2030. These “green” jobs are created by a more carbon-neutral economy that require at least one “green” skill that helps conserve the company’s resources.

Here are five ways to incorporate green leadership into a business. 

To be a green leader, be a good listener

The most important thing about being a green leader is being a good listener, Anshuman Sahoo, vice president, head of climate strategy at Capital One, said on the panel. 

“Anyone can be a green leader,” said Sahoo. “Whether you’re an analyst, whether you’re an intern, whether you’re a manager, whether you’re a CEO, you have decisions to make.”

Reduce the environmental impact of business as usual 

Sustainability means doing things in a more low-environmental-impact way than business as usual.

That includes finding a more energy efficient or low waste way of doing business, and expecting employees to think in terms of sustainability as well, both at work and outside of it. 

Have a green mentality outside of work, too 

Leading in a green way isn’t something you turn off when you stop working.

“You could have even a bigger impact outside of your organization,” Martin said. “I think the most important things we have are voting power and customer power.”

Your vote — and your wallet — can foster change

Part of the reason for the increase in corporate sustainability over the last few years is because of people voting for legislators that will put pressure on companies to decarbonize make healthier environments and vote to pass environmentally impactful bills.

Consumers can also make a direct impact by purchasing green alternatives and looking at labels for sustainable ingredients and packaging. 

Speak and advocate for reform

A green leader is also an activist, Martin said, someone who is not afraid to speak up and advocate for environmental reform.

“You might see, you know, throwing soup on the Mona Lisa,” Martin said. “That’s not what I’m recommending by any means. I think there are a lot of interesting ways that you can have your voice be heard.”

Speak up about the impacts of tangible change

The term “greenwashing,” where a company gives itself a lot of credit for doing a little, sustainability-wise, has been used to pressure companies to do more than the minimum.

Ultimately, green leadership is about looking toward the future and understanding that changes to the status quo are necessary to reduce the harm from climate change.

“For me,” Sahoo said, “one of the big intrinsic motivators is that there’s such a huge societal change in front of us.”