As climate reporting regulations expand globally and extreme weather events disrupt operations, sustainability has become central to business continuity. Alekhya Reddy of Optera challenges the conventional wisdom of standalone environmental teams, arguing that true resilience comes only when sustainability expertise permeates every department — from compliance to procurement.
Many in Washington have declared war on ESG, but sustainability remains a business imperative — not as a virtue-signaling activity but as long-term risk management. This evolving, uncertain landscape creates new challenges for compliance teams and their sustainability counterparts.
In order for companies to successfully manage the transition to a low-carbon economy, sustainability teams can no longer be standalone departments. These professionals must be embedded within other business units, including compliance, operations, procurement and facilities management, to ensure adherence to evolving reporting requirements while also aligning decarbonization strategies with broader business and risk management goals.
Creating a cross-functional structure enables sustainability programs to operate as strategic business planning activities rather than potentially controversial initiatives. Companies that treat sustainability as a…
