Harvard Business Review: The Politics of Sustainability Have Changed. The Business Case Hasn’t.

In her October 7, 2026, Harvard Business Review article, “The Politics of Sustainability Have Changed. The Business Case Hasn’t.,” Tensie Whelan, Professor of Practice Emerita and Senior Advisor at the NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business (CSB), examines why sustainability remains integral to business strategy amid shifting political and economic priorities.

Drawing on research behind CSB’s Return on Sustainability Investment (ROSI™) methodology, Whelan highlights four areas that can strengthen financial performance: circularity, decarbonization, sustainable sourcing, and employee well-being.

Her argument centers on managing the environmental and social issues that materially affect a business, and measuring how addressing them can reduce costs and risks, improve productivity, and generate revenue.

Read the full article in Harvard Business Review.