How can leaders best tackle climate change? In this latest research, we have synthesised the perspectives and insights we gathered from interviewing 24 Australian Chairs of listed companies or equivalent, and included recommendations on what Chairs should consider in future.
During our interviews we found that most Chairs recognise their stewardship obligation to cast their minds to the long-term – beyond three to five years – and this has evolved into a recognition of the ‘systems level’ transformation needed to achieve a successful whole-of-economy transition. As you would expect, the Chairs of Australia’s high emitters were well placed to give organisations in other sectors a window into what lies ahead; and we should actively seek to learn from them. One thing is clear, making incremental changes simply isn’t enough to achieve the targets we have set for 2030 and 2050.
It was a great honour to spend time with these leaders, who referenced 29 companies across 13 sectors and four industries, so we could gather and synthesise their rich perspectives so the entire Chair and Board community can benefit.
“As a Chair of a Board, we are in a privileged position. We do not have the choice to slow play. We must use our role for something that’s greater than us. We have the responsibility of not giving up on the people who don't have that opportunity… The Chair of the future will not be somebody who looks like the Chair of today; because that organisation will certainly fail.”
Ming Long AM | Chair of Diversity Council Australia and Non-Executive Director