Skip to Main Content
HBS Home
  • About
  • Academic Programs
  • Alumni
  • Faculty & Research
  • Baker Library
  • Giving
  • Harvard Business Review
  • Initiatives
  • News
  • Recruit
  • Map / Directions
Faculty & Research
  • Faculty
  • Research
  • Featured Topics
  • Academic Units
  • …→
  • Harvard Business School→
  • Faculty & Research→
Publications
Publications
  • May 2020
  • Article
  • AEA Papers and Proceedings

Tackling Climate Change Requires Organizational Purpose

By: Rebecca Henderson and George Serafeim
  • Format:Print
ShareBar

Abstract

Unchecked climate change presents a profound threat to economic growth and political stability but despite widespread public concern about the issue, global emissions of greenhouse gases have not declined. Indeed current “business as usual” predictions imply that average global temperatures will rise by more than 4⁰C by 2100, with potentially catastrophic results. In this paper, we argue that while putting in place an effective regime for pricing GHG emissions is more essential than ever, it is unlikely to be sufficient. It is in this context that we hypothesize that increasing the fraction of commercial firms who are “authentically purpose-driven” might have a very significant effect on the problem of climate change.

Keywords

Corporate Purpose; Purpose; Sustainability; Environment; Climate Change; Organizations; Mission and Purpose; Environmental Sustainability; Strategy; Leadership

Citation

Henderson, Rebecca, and George Serafeim. "Tackling Climate Change Requires Organizational Purpose." AEA Papers and Proceedings 110 (May 2020): 177–180.
  • Find it at Harvard
  • Register to Read

About The Authors

Rebecca M. Henderson

General Management
→More Publications

George Serafeim

Accounting and Management
→More Publications

More from the Authors

    • 2022
    • Faculty Research

    Firms, Morality, and the Search for a Better World

    By: Rebecca Henderson
    • 2022
    • Faculty Research

    A Political Economy of Justice

    By: Danielle Allen, Yochai Benkler, Leah Downey, Rebecca Henderson and Joshua Simons
    • March 2022
    • Faculty Research

    Sustainable Product Management at Solvay

    By: George Serafeim
More from the Authors
  • Firms, Morality, and the Search for a Better World By: Rebecca Henderson
  • A Political Economy of Justice By: Danielle Allen, Yochai Benkler, Leah Downey, Rebecca Henderson and Joshua Simons
  • Sustainable Product Management at Solvay By: George Serafeim
ǁ
Campus Map
Harvard Business School
Soldiers Field
Boston, MA 02163
→Map & Directions
→More Contact Information
  • Make a Gift
  • Site Map
  • Jobs
  • Harvard University
  • Trademarks
  • Policies
  • Digital Accessibility
Copyright © President & Fellows of Harvard College