Joined Stern 2015
Leonard N. Stern School of Business
Kaufman Management Center
44 West Fourth Street, 8-51
New York, NY 10012
E-mail hhw2013@stern.nyu.edu
Tensie Whelan
Biography
Tensie Whelan (NYU ‘80), Distinguished Professor of Practice Emerita, was the Founding Director of the NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business. She now serves as Senior Advisor to CSB, where she is bringing her 35 years of experience working on local, national and international sustainability issues to engage businesses and investors in proactive and innovative mainstreaming of sustainability. As President of the Rainforest Alliance, she built the organization from a $4.5 million to $50 million budget, transforming the engagement of business with sustainability, recruiting 5,000 companies in more than 60 countries to work with Rainforest Alliance. Her previous work included serving 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 a journalist in Latin America. Tensie has served on numerous nonprofit boards and currently serves on the advisory boards of Domtar, Edelman, Giant Ventures, and Nespresso and is an Advisor to MIT Sloan Management Review. 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 made Distinguished Professor of Practice in 2023 in recognition of her contributions to Stern.Research Interests
- ESG Investing
- Sustainable Business
- Business Ethics
- Ecofriendly Tourism
Academic Background
M.A., International Communication
American University
B.A., Political Science
New York University
Related News & Research
Commentary from Clinical Professor Emerita Tensie Whelan is referenced: “How Sustainability Leaders Can Get Ahead in 2026.”
Lessons From a Decade of Teaching Sustainability at B-School.
ESG Reporting Needs a Refresh. Here’s How to Fix It.
Clinical Professor Tensie Whelan interview: “Sustainability: Managers Double Down on Value Creation and Metrics.”
Clinical Professor Tensie Whelan interview: “Why the Corporate Greenhushing Trend on Climate Could Be Bad for Business.”
Recent commentary from Clinical Professor Tensie Whelan is featured: “6 Ways Sustainability Can Help Businesses Navigate Tough Times And Drive Growth – From Workiva, KPMG And NYU.”
Clinical Professor Tensie Whelan video interview: “Worried About Climate Change? Here’s How to Fight Back.”
Clinical Professor Tensie Whelan interview: “S&P 500 Defy ESG Backlash by Keeping Sustainability Oversight.”
The B2B Opportunity in Corporate Sustainability.
Co-authored commentary from Clinical Professor Tensie Whelan is featured: “PwC Examines How Circularity Makes Supply Chains Stronger.”
Clinical Professor Tensie Whelan interview: “Finance Masters Shift From Idealism to Pragmatism on Under Fire ESG.”
Sustainable Food and Ag Practices Lead to Revenue Growth For More Than 70 Percent of Companies.
Work in Health Care? These 4 Strategies Can Help You Cut Costs and Carbon Content.
Clinical Professor Tensie Whelan is featured and commentary from Professor Aswath Damodaran is referenced: “Business School Professors’ Picks.”
Only At Stern: Professor Tensie Whelan, Leading the Way Forward in Sustainable Business Value Creation
Clean Technology Will Prevail Despite Policy Uncertainty Today—So Deploy, Baby, Deploy.
Clinical Professor Tensie Whelan interview: “Milk By Mail: How Flat Sheets of Oat Milk Can Cut Shipping Costs.”
Clinical Professor Tensie Whelan interview: “ESG Investments: Headwinds in the U.S.” (Translation Required)
Clinical Professor Tensie Whelan interview: “Allbirds Goes Wide With ‘Net-Zero’ Shoe Hoping Other Footwear Companies Copy It.”
How to Navigate 6 Common Barriers to Embedding Sustainability.
Lessons From a Decade of Teaching Sustainability at B-School.
ESG Reporting Needs a Refresh. Here’s How to Fix It.
Clinical Professor Tensie Whelan interview: “Sustainability: Managers Double Down on Value Creation and Metrics.”
Clinical Professor Tensie Whelan interview: “Why the Corporate Greenhushing Trend on Climate Could Be Bad for Business.”
Recent commentary from Clinical Professor Tensie Whelan is featured: “6 Ways Sustainability Can Help Businesses Navigate Tough Times And Drive Growth – From Workiva, KPMG And NYU.”
Clinical Professor Tensie Whelan video interview: “Worried About Climate Change? Here’s How to Fight Back.”
Clinical Professor Tensie Whelan interview: “S&P 500 Defy ESG Backlash by Keeping Sustainability Oversight.”
The B2B Opportunity in Corporate Sustainability.
Co-authored commentary from Clinical Professor Tensie Whelan is featured: “PwC Examines How Circularity Makes Supply Chains Stronger.”
Clinical Professor Tensie Whelan interview: “Finance Masters Shift From Idealism to Pragmatism on Under Fire ESG.”
Sustainable Food and Ag Practices Lead to Revenue Growth For More Than 70 Percent of Companies.
Work in Health Care? These 4 Strategies Can Help You Cut Costs and Carbon Content.
Clinical Professor Tensie Whelan is featured and commentary from Professor Aswath Damodaran is referenced: “Business School Professors’ Picks.”
Only At Stern: Professor Tensie Whelan, Leading the Way Forward in Sustainable Business Value Creation
Clean Technology Will Prevail Despite Policy Uncertainty Today—So Deploy, Baby, Deploy.
Clinical Professor Tensie Whelan interview: “Milk By Mail: How Flat Sheets of Oat Milk Can Cut Shipping Costs.”
Clinical Professor Tensie Whelan interview: “ESG Investments: Headwinds in the U.S.” (Translation Required)
Clinical Professor Tensie Whelan interview: “Allbirds Goes Wide With ‘Net-Zero’ Shoe Hoping Other Footwear Companies Copy It.”
How to Navigate 6 Common Barriers to Embedding Sustainability.