Future-Proof Business

Future-Proof Business is a guide to support companies in defining the scope, scale, and specifics of how their businesses can evolve to meet critical challenges in climate change, nature loss, and mounting inequality and deliver true value across social, environmental, and economic dimensions.

Developed with input and expertise from 11 leading businesses, the guide provides a “blueprint” for the evolution of business practice required to achieve the World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s (WBCSD) Vision 2050 of 9+ billion people living well, within planetary boundaries, by mid-century. The guide identifies the characteristics that will underpin sustainable transition, focused around the three fundamental areas of Purpose, Strategy & Governance; Systems of Management; and Performance.

The document provides high level guidance and descriptions of the transformations in corporate practice required to future-proof companies. It is for use by:

• Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) and the C-Suite to understand the implications of sustainable transformation for the way that they develop and drive the sustainable purpose, management, and performance of their organizations.
• Leadership and their Chief Sustainability Officers to identify and assess their current activities and judge both where they are in their sustainability journey and where their ambition could take them next.

WBCSD will provide further resources, guidance and support for our members and other companies to accompany this guide and drive strategic sustainable change in their businesses.