NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business

Center for Sustainable Business (CSB)

A Better World Through Better Business

NYU Stern CSB prepares future and current leaders with the knowledge, skills, and tools to embed social and environmental sustainability into core business strategy.

Recent Updates from CSB

Celebrating Five Years of CSB: Reflections from our Founding Donors

This Earth Month we are delighted to be celebrating CSB's five-year anniversary! It seems like yesterday that we embarked upon this endeavor, one that has been made successful by the generous support of many.

Learn more & read the reflections

CSB Finds Sustainability-Marketed Products Continue to Grow Despite Pandemic

CSB reviewed consumer purchasing of sustainability-marketed products in 36 CPG (consumer packaged good) categories comprising ~40% of the total CPG market. The latest findings from CSB's Sustainable Market Share Index™ highlight that sustainability-marketed products continue to grow despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

Learn more about the findings

New Research in HBR Proves Corporate Boards are Lacking ESG Expertise

Many corporate boards are unprepared to tackle the climate crisis. A new study by CSB Director Tensie Whelan finds that less than one-third of Fortune 100 board members have relevant environmental, social, and governance (ESG) expertise to understand what's at stake.

Learn more about the findings

CSB Publishes in HBR on How to Talk to Your CFO About Sustainability

Tracking sustainability-related financial metrics can empower CFOs to better manage sustainability risks and opportunities, driving value through enhanced innovation, customer loyalty, supplier relations, media coverage, and stakeholder engagement. CSB's Return on Sustainability Investment (ROSI) methodology can help companies examine the true financial costs and value that sustainability strategies generate.

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CSB and HSBC Bank USA Launch New Apparel Industry Sustainable Strategies Framework

In partnership with EILEEN FISHER, Reformation, and REI, this novel research assesses sustainability efforts across the value chain, identifying eight strategies that apparel companies are using to positively impact the bottom line and drive better outcomes for the environment and society.

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HIGHLIGHTED ONGOING RESEARCH

Return on Sustainability Investment (ROSI™) Methodology

Sustainability drives business and societal success, yet the challenge most businesses face is proving the monetary impact of their sustainability efforts as they seek to address environmental, social, and governance (ESG) related issues. CSB has developed our ROSI methodology to bridge the gap between sustainability strategies and financial performance, helping to build a better business case for both current and planned sustainability initiatives.

Learn more about ROSI

Sustainable Market Share Index™

Consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies are responding to changing generational expectations, including for more sustainable product offerings, yet understanding of sustainable purchasing trends is limited. CSB partnered with IRI to assess the share and growth figures for sustainable products, the current demographic of the sustainable purchaser, and how sustainable products are faring during COVID-19.

Learn more about the research

Invest NYC SDG Initiative

New York City is the first city in the United States to align its ambitious sustainability goals with those of the world. Our purpose is to support NYC in its work to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Our goal is to identify the best private sector business and finance opportunities where there are significant interested key players, realistic business incentives, alignment with government policy, support from the community, and significant impact in meeting the SDGs.

Learn more about the initiative

ENGAGE WITH CSB

Innovation in Education

As part of the Business and Society Program, CSB provides unique opportunities for undergraduate, graduate, and executive students both in and out of the classroom to develop the knowledge and skills needed to create economic value in tandem with social and environmental value.

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Insights and Research

CSB leverages our ROSI™ Methodology to reveal that embedding sustainability into core business strategy benefits all areas of corporate metrics, conducting research on topics including deforestation-free supply chains, marketing and consumer goods, and financing the UN SDGs.

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Influence and Engagement

CSB engages with a growing network of professionals, investors, alumni, media partners and academics who seek to redesign capitalism, sustaining both business and society for generations to come, through regular publications, multi-stakeholder convenings, and research collaborations.