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Sweden’s Northvolt Electric Battery Maker: A Startup with a Mission

Re: George Serafeim

In Stockholm, Sweden an upstart battery maker, Northvolt, is trying to recreate the value chain for European car manufacturers making the switch to EVs. With two founders from Tesla and two experienced financiers at the helm, the company seems bound for success. But can they partner with government, scale fast enough, and truly be part of the climate solution? Harvard Business School professor George Serafeim discusses what it takes to scale a business—the right people, in the right place, at the right time—with the aim of providing a climate solution in the case, “Northvolt, Building Batteries to Fight Climate Change.” As part of a new first-year MBA course at Harvard Business School, this case examines the central question: what is the social purpose of the firm?

What Happens When Banks Ditch Coal: The Impact Is 'More Than Anyone Thought'

by Barbara DeLollis

Bank divestment policies that target coal reduced carbon dioxide emissions, says research by Boris Vallée and Daniel Green. Could the finance industry do even more to confront climate change?

BMW’s Decarbonization Strategy: Sustainable for the Environment and the Bottom Line

Re: Shirley Lu

In mid-2022, automakers, consumers, regulators, and investors were focusing on the transition from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to electric vehicles (EV). While this would reduce tail-pipe emissions, it ignored the fact that the production of EVs—and especially their batteries—increases emissions in the supply chain. Many automakers were announcing deadlines by which they would stop selling ICE vehicles altogether, buoyed by investment analysts and favorable press. But BMW decided to focus on lifecycle emissions and pursued a flexible powertrain strategy by offering vehicles with several options: gasoline and diesel-fueled ICE, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and battery electric vehicles. That approach received a frostier reception in the stock market. Assistant Professor Shirley Lu discusses how BMW plans to convince stakeholders that its strategy is good for both the environment and the company’s financial performance in the case, “Driving Decarbonization at BMW.”

COP27: What Can Business Leaders Do to Fight Climate Change Now?

by Lynn Schenk and Danielle Kost

The US government plans to spend $370 billion to cut greenhouse gases and expand renewable energy—its biggest investment yet. In the wake of COP27, we asked Harvard Business School faculty members how executives could seize this moment.

What's the Role of Business in Confronting Climate Change?

by Lynn Schenk and Dina Gerdeman

COP26 shined a light on the complexities of addressing the climate crisis. We asked Harvard Business School faculty members to discuss how business leaders can help spur change and what opportunities might emerge. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Who Pays For Wildfire and Hurricane Damage? Everyone.

by Kristen Senz

Think only coastal states bear the costs related to rising seas? Research by Ishita Sen and colleagues shows how homeowners everywhere pay for climate change, regardless of location. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Can Fabric Waste Become Fashion’s Resource?

by Geoffrey Jones and Shelly Xu

COVID-19 worsened the textile waste crisis. Now it's time for the fashion industry to address this spiraling problem, say Geoffrey Jones and Shelly Xu. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

To Fight Climate Change, Should Green Investors Reconsider Big Oil?

by Kristen Senz

Sustainability funds eschew some of the biggest backers of green technology: oil companies. Research by Lauren Cohen offers reasons to re-evaluate the role of traditional energy companies in addressing climate change. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

COVID-19’s Hard Lessons Might Prepare Business for Climate Change

by Danielle Kost

We asked experts from the HBS Business and Environment Initiative how the coronavirus crisis might change the way companies think about sustainability. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Fighting Climate Change Requires a New Capitalism

by Danielle Kost

Tackling one of the biggest crises of our time—climate change—requires leaders to embrace a new vision of business, argues Rebecca Henderson. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

How Investors Are Sizing Up Climate Change’s Risks—and Opportunities

by Danielle Kost

What are the financial implications of rising seas and extreme weather? Asset managers and risk experts gathered at Harvard Business School to discuss how they’re evaluating climate risk in their portfolios. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Shareholder Activism and Firms’ Voluntary Disclosure of Climate Change Risks

by Caroline Flammer, Michael W. Toffel, and Kala Viswanathan

Shareholder resolutions typically fail, and often by a wide margin. So why do active investors bother? It turns out that resolutions nonetheless can influence corporate transparency. Specifically, after being targeted with shareholder resolutions on environmental topics, this research shows that companies are more likely to publicly disclose their climate change risks—and that such disclosure increases these companies’ valuation.

Torched Planet: The Business Case to Reinvent Almost Everything

by Rebecca Henderson

With climate change scorching the planet, business leaders have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to change the world—and make money in the process, says Rebecca Henderson. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Even for Non-Believers, These Are the Next Steps on Climate Change

by John Macomber

Are there immediate steps business and government should take to address climate change? Somewhere between trillion-dollar solutions and the next eco-calamity are opportunities to take action, argues John Macomber. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Should a Pension Fund Try to Change the World?

Re: Rebecca M. Henderson & George Serafeim

Can inclusivity, sustainability, and better governance boost economies? Rebecca Henderson and George Serafeim discuss the impact investing efforts of GPIF, Japan’s government pension fund. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

The Business of Saving the Planet

by Sean Silverthorne

The biggest challenge facing today's business leaders? Putting their operations in harmony with the environment. Read the latest research around building sustainability into business processes and management practices. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

Green Businesses Are Incredibly Difficult to Make Profitable. Try It Anyway

by Dina Gerdeman

Making a business successful is a challenge in itself, but making a green business profitable is an even harder journey. For society's sake, entrepreneurs must be prepared to make that journey, says Geoffrey Jones. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

'Green Bonds' May Be Our Best Bet for Environmental Damage Control

by Michael Blanding

The popularity of green bonds as a way to finance environmentally friendly projects is on the upswing, say Malcolm Baker and George Serafeim. Open for comment; 0 Comments.

What’s the Best Administrative Approach to Climate Change?

by James Heskett

SUMMING UP: James Heskett's readers point to examples of complex environmental problems conquered through multinational cooperation. Can those serve as roadmaps for overcoming global warming? Open for comment; 0 Comments.

More Than 900 Examples of How Climate Change Affects Business

by Carmen Nobel

MBA students participating in Harvard Business School’s Climate Change Challenge offer ideas on how companies can negate impacts from a changing environment. Open for comment; 0 Comments.