Why businesses are going 'back to basics' in sustainability strategies

In the current landscape of geopolitical volatility and policy uncertainty, we're hearing stakeholders use the term "back to basics" to describe their approach to sustainability. In this episode of the All Things Sustainable podcast, we bring you interviews with three speakers from the annual S&P Global Sustainable1 Summit who describe how businesses are navigating this environment. We sit down with Jessica Fries, executive chair of accounting for Sustainability (A4S), a not-for-profit that works with finance leaders to drive resilient business models and achieve a sustainable economy. She explains how financial decisionmakers are balancing near-term financial pressures with longer-term sustainability goals. "We don't see business leaders and finance leaders backing down from those long-term goals. I think everyone is very clear of the consequences of a failure to act with the kind of scale and speed that we need on climate and nature," she says. We talk to Min Guan about how some companies are taking a pragmatic approach to balancing different energy sources and supply chains in the transition to a low-carbon economy. Min is head of systems insights at the Energy Transitions Commission, a global coalition of leaders across business, finance and the NGO space committed to reaching net-zero by 2050. She is also a director at sustainability consultancy and investment firm Systemiq. And we hear directly from an energy company grappling with this balancing act in an interview with Alex Grant, UK country manager for Norway-based Equinor. The company is the largest supplier of energy to Europe and has a portfolio that includes oil and gas, renewables and low-carbon solutions. Alex calls net-zero by 2050 the company's "guiding star" but says the path won't be straightforward. "The energy transition is going to be bumpy," he says. "What does that mean in practicalities? It means investing across the energy space." Listen to podcast coverage of the 2025 CERAWeek conference hosted by S&P Global here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/podcasts/energy-transition-discussions-shift-to-pragmatism-amid-policy-uncertainty Learn more about the S&P Global Sustainable1 Summit in Singapore June 26, 2025: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/events/sustainable1-summit-2025 Learn more about S&P Global's Energy Transition data here: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/solutions/energy-transition?utm_source=All+Things+Sustainable+podcast&utm_medium=libsyn&utm_campaign=HSBCS1Summit&utm_id=All+Things+Sustainable+podcast This piece was published by S&P Global Sustainable1 and not by S&P Global Ratings, which is a separately managed division of S&P Global. Copyright ©2025 by S&P Global DISCLAIMER By accessing this Podcast, I acknowledge that S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty, guarantee, or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information featured in this Podcast. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this Podcast is done at your own risk. This Podcast should not be considered professional advice. Unless specifically stated otherwise, S&P GLOBAL does not endorse, approve, recommend, or certify any information, product, process, service, or organization presented or mentioned in this Podcast, and information from this Podcast should not be referenced in any way to imply such approval or endorsement. The third party materials or content of any third party site referenced in this Podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions, standards or policies of S&P GLOBAL. S&P GLOBAL assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content contained in third party materials or on third party sites referenced in this Podcast or the compliance with applicable laws of such materials and/or links referenced herein. Moreover, S&P GLOBAL makes no warranty that this Podcast, or the server that makes it available, is free of viruses, worms, or other elements or codes that manifest contaminating or destructive properties. S&P GLOBAL EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF ANY INDIVIDUAL'S USE OF, REFERENCE TO, RELIANCE ON, OR INABILITY TO USE, THIS PODCAST OR THE INFORMATION PRESENTED IN THIS PODCAST.