Insights

By steering their organisations beyond compliance, NEDs can help harness sustainability reporting as a lever for resilience, innovation, and long-term leadership. Part 2 of this two-part insights piece, from Chapter Zero Fellow David Carlin, explores three key ways that boards can leverage their approach to regulatory changes to gain competitive advantage.

Sustainability regulations are evolving at an unprecedented pace. New disclosure standards, transition planning requirements, and the scrutiny on green commitments are redefining expectations for firms globally. Part 1 of this two-part insights piece, from Chapter Zero Fellow David Carlin, explores how boards can get ahead of the changes and harness reporting to drive business value.

The potential applications of AI technologies across business functions are myriad and exciting, but AI has a role in the transition of companies to a low-carbon future too - that is why AI should be front of mind across boardrooms globally. This notion was at the heart of the discussion at a joint Chapter Zero and McKinsey event on 4 March 2025, as part of our ‘Out-competing to win’ event series for non-executive directors.

The past twelve months have highlighted how companies are not only increasingly experiencing the impacts of climate change but also how they are powerfully positioned to be agents of change, with the ability to curb these impacts and promote long-term sustainability and resilience for the global economy and for society. The need to decarbonise and to achieve net zero commitments is being driven by a range of economic, regulatory and market factors, all of which require companies to respond faster than ever before.

This article summarises Adair Turner, chair of the Energy Transitions Commission's, annual net-zero progress assessment talk in a Q&A style.

Boards must stay closely briefed on the changing climate policy landscape, giving oversight for how good governance and process around policy engagement forms part of core business strategy.

In partnership with Accounting for Sustainability (A4S), Chapter Zero recently held the third session of its series of roundtables for Audit Committee chairs and members to explore the emerging requirements for audit committees in effectively driving action on climate and nature from the boardroom.

Karen Ellis, Chief Economist at WWF-UK and speaker at Chapter Zero events, says that boards are looking for pathways to help them integrate nature into their transition plans.

When board conversations revolve largely around growth, how do non-executive directors get nature on the agenda? Chapter Zero Fellow Orna NiChionna talks about finding ways for nature to resonate with boards.