Navigating the ESG Landscape: Challenges and Opportunities in Business with Prof. Tensie Whelan

Over the past five years, U.S. public boards have made strides in managing ESG issues, with Fortune 100 board members with relevant ESG credentials increasing from 29% to 43%. While growth is notable in environmental and governance expertise, social credentials lag behind. Dedicated ESG/sustainability committees are becoming more common, enhancing oversight as companies navigate regulatory pressures and opportunities in transitioning to a low-carbon economy. However, significant gaps remain in areas like climate change and worker welfare expertise. In this episode, Prof. Tensie Whelan offers valuable insights from her research, “Bridging the ESG Gap: How Boards Are Evolving.” We are delighted to welcome Prof. Tensie Whelan with us today. Prof. Tensie Whelan is the Distinguished Professor of Practice for Business and Society and the Founding Director of the NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business. With over 25 years of experience in local, national, and international sustainability issues, Prof. Tensie is dedicated to advancing the proactive and innovative mainstreaming of sustainability within businesses. As President of the Rainforest Alliance, Prof. Tensie grew the organization’s budget from $4.5 million to $50 million and recruited over 5,000 companies across more than 60 countries to engage in sustainability practices. Under her leadership, the Rainforest Alliance became an internationally recognized and credible brand. Prior to this, Prof. Tensie served as Executive Director of the New York League of Conservation Voters, Vice President of the National Audubon Society, Managing Editor of Ambio, a journal of the Swedish Academy of Sciences, and as a journalist in Latin America. Prof. Tensie has been recognized by Ethisphere as one of the 100 Most Influential People in Business Ethics. She was also a Citi Fellow in Leadership and Ethics at NYU Stern and has served on numerous nonprofit boards. She currently sits on the advisory boards of ALO Advisors, Edelman, Giant Ventures, and Nespresso. She was recently appointed to the board of Emerald SPAC and is an Advisor to the Future Economy Project for Harvard Business Review. Prof. Tensie holds a B.A. from New York University, an M.A. from American University, and is a graduate of the Harvard Business School Owner President Management (OPM) Program. She was awarded the Stern Faculty Excellence Award in 2020 and named Distinguished Professor of Practice in 2023 in recognition of her outstanding contributions to Stern and the field of sustainable business. This podcast is brought to you by Global Management Consultancy. For more information, please visit www.globalmanagementconsultancy.com. Disclaimer: A. The background music used in this video is the property of its respective developer and is protected by Copyright. Although it is a free version, Business Talk, Global Management Consultancy and Deepak Bhatt do not hold the rights to this music. B. Prof. Tensie Whelan has granted permission to share insights from her research, “Bridging the ESG Gap: How Boards Are Evolving” on the Business Talk Podcast Channel. Please note that the uploaded video contains copyrighted material; thus, any modifications to graphics, music, or the appearance of the author or host are strictly prohibited.