Center for Sustainable Business | Research Initiatives

CSB and Edelman released new, first-of-its-kind research, "Effective Sustainability Communications: A Best Practice Guide for Brands & Marketers," uncovering which environmental sustainability claims are most motivating to consumers. Results demonstrate that sustainability messages can have a powerful amplifier effect, increasing brand reach and relevance.

The 2022 Sustainable Share Market Index™ examines point-of-sale data from Circana (formerly IRI) and reveals that products marketed as sustainable are responsible for more than one-third of the growth in consumer packaged goods (CPG) from 2015 to 2022, and that this growth continues despite inflationary pressures.

The Invest NYC SDG Initiative aims to support New York City in its work to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through extensive research and outreach, CSB engages the private sector and drives financing toward creating a more sustainable, inclusive and resilient city.

In collaboration with Rockefeller Asset Management, the NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business examines the relationship between ESG and financial performance in more than 1,000 research papers from 2015 – 2020. In the last five years, we have seen exponential growth in ESG and impact investing – due in large part to increasing evidence that business strategy focused on material ESG issues is synonymous with high-quality management teams and improved returns.

Recent research how that many boards have minimal ESG-related expertise and many do not even recognize the need to pay attention to material sustainability issues. CSB analyzed the credentials of 1188 Fortune 100 board directors. We found 29% of directors had relevant ESG credentials in 2018.

In collaboration with CEO Investor Forum, this research addresses the urgent need for companies to place greater emphasis on sustainability, resiliency, and long-term value creation in the quarterly call as a means to move away from short-termism.

This database provides a detailed view into the 150+ venture capital and impact investment firms making investments in sustainability-related startups and next-stage businesses. This tool gives social entrepreneurs and leaders of sustainable businesses an overview of where VC funding is being directed to enable them to identify companies and make connections. Investors can be identified by location, investment stage, total committed capital, assets under management, and total number of investors