Future 500 State of the Org: 2024-2025
We began 2024 with three key issue focal areas: corporate political responsibility (CPR) in a critical election year worldwide, permit reform to accelerate responsible build-out of energy transition infrastructure mindful of nature and people, and mainstreaming corporate biodiversity strategies to ensure resilient supply chains.
To address our three focal areas, we convened companies and advocates several times, virtually and in person, expanding to include interrelated issues—such as responsible mining, environmental justice, reporting transparency, plastic, and chemical stewardship— that concerned our partners and civil society advocates. We also facilitated several one-on-one engagements between corporate and advocacy leaders to develop mutual understanding of and alignment around policy approaches.
We were pleased to close the year by receiving a general operating grant from Porticus, a philanthropic organization focused on creating a just and sustainable future where human dignity flourishes. With Porticus’ support, we have started scoping the next phase of our team’s research into Best Corporate Practices in Environmental Justice. We are interviewing several corporate and EJ leaders to understand their priority interests to frame our research topics and questions. Early feedback suggests we will seek to understand best practices for Community Advisory Panels (CAPs) as well as for how local corporate community engagement leaders engage from an EJ perspective. In addition, we are hearing that companies are seeking insight into how to frame EJ programs in a politically durable way. We look forward to sharing more as the research progresses.
We begin 2025 with a new website where we have refined our branding and market position. It was a genuine team effort with our staff, board, and some senior fellows weighing in. Let us know what you think.
Looking ahead through Q1, our team is preparing for our bi-annual planning retreat in late January in Arizona, several events we are organizing or participating in (more on that below) to bring together corporate and advocacy leaders, and publishing our annual Force for Good Forecast Report (see our past Forecasts). This year’s report will be quite interesting as world governments have shifted toward more authoritarian practices, greater trade protectionism, and hardening of global geopolitical realignment, all of which will significantly implicate how companies manage and report on social and environmental issues that materially impact their business.
As with many organizations, we will be expanding our communications to include BlueSky along with X in 2025 to ensure we reach constituencies across intellectual perspectives with our bridge-building worldview. This reflects the unfortunate polarization and siloing of information channels as people self-select where they curate their information, deepening echo chamber effects and associated ideological divides.
Keeping Up With Our Corporate Affinity Network (CAN)
Since October, we’ve convened three CAN Virtual events.
We had the pleasure of hosting Dr. Anja Brandon, Director of Plastics Policy at the Ocean Conservancy, for an engaging discussion where she outlined her 2025 priorities for addressing plastic waste and the importance of companies and NGOs working to advance Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems. For such systems to work, they must complement and reinforce emerging technological developments and incentives that can catalyze systems change that shifts material flows toward more circular models. Our team will continue to organize and facilitate cross-sectoral gatherings on this topic to foster alignment between companies and civil society advocates like Dr. Brandon.
We also welcomed Marilu Hastings, Executive Vice President of the Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation, and David Monsma, Director of the foundation's Clean Energy and Subsurface Energy Programs, in a follow-up to our September working group, to explore more deeply the Mitchell Foundation's energy program priorities and how the Permian Energy Development Lab collaborates with companies to scale value in carbon management and community engagement.
To close 2024, we convened CAN members for a forward-looking peer-to-peer discussion. First, we previewed our draft 2025 Force for Good Forecast with our network partners, followed by an engaging, interactive discussion on their respective sector’s priority issues—from biodiversity to disclosures in the face of rising political scrutiny and litigation—and potential areas of peer collaboration next year. We emerged with plenty of ideas for future CAN meetings, collaborations, and trends to watch this year.
Join us in Washington D.C.
Our next Corporate Working Group will occur in Washington, DC, on February 25-26. We’re grateful to the firm, Paul Hastings, for generously offering to host our meeting. We have two great speakers confirmed, and more to come!
Confirmed sessions include:
Preview of NGO Marketplace Campaigns during Trump 2.0: Mighty Earth Founder and CEO, Glenn Hurowitz will share how his group’s “theory of change” is built to withstand shifts in politics, noting that many of their marketplace successes are independent of U.S. government action or who is President. He’ll outline plans to spur private sector actions to protect nature, promote industrial decarbonization, and counter what he sees as growing threats to civil society across the globe. He’ll also offer insight into how the US Supreme Court’s Loper Bright decision influences Mighty Earth’s strategy.
Human Health as the Frame for Environmental Activism: We are also pleased to welcome Emmie Mediate, Chief Program Officer from Health Care Without Harm, who will explore with us how the interconnection of human and ecological health has emerged as the unifying frame for social and environmental activism. In this session, we will unpack how human health is becoming the foundation of global ecological stewardship and justice movements, from climate change and microplastics to chemicals and deforestation.
We’ll explore best practices in engaging Associations as well as share our finalized 2025 Force For Good Forecast, outlining the critical issues we anticipate confronting companies in 2025 and beyond, what NGO advocates and their funders are prioritizing, and how businesses should engage proactively to overcome challenges to advance shared goals.
We’ll be adding terrific speakers to our agenda, so check out our website and LinkedIn channel for updates.
Get to know our CEO.
How well do you know our CEO, Erik Wohlgemuth? In addition to being a level-headed leader, father of three, and former river guide extraordinaire, he’s also on the board of the Pacific Forest Trust. The PFT recently featured a brief interview with him where he discusses the importance of forests in his life. For even more insights into his thought process about change and the speed of trust, you can also check out this episode of the Awesome Earthkind podcast, where he was featured earlier this year.
Upcoming Conferences We’re Engaged In
Sustainable Foods Summit I Jan. 22 - 23 I San Francisco, CA
Join our VP, Brendon Steele, at this year’s Sustainable Foods Summit in San Francisco on January 22-23, 2025. Since 2009, the summit has covered major developments in sustainability and eco-labels in the food industry. At this year’s summit, top leaders will discuss the direction for regenerative agriculture and sustainability schemes. For in-depth information, please read their newly published Press Release. To register, click here.
GreenBiz25 I Feb. 10 - 12 I Phoenix, AZ
Future 500 is once again proud to be a Community Partner at GreenBiz 25. Join our team members in Phoenix at GreenBiz 25 to connect with peers and thought leaders and hone the skills needed to tackle your company’s unique challenges. Save $1,000 off the All Access Pass final rate if you Register by January 17 before rates go up and use the 10% discount code GB25F500.
CERAWeek 2025 I March 10 - 14 I Houston, TX
Our team has been invited back to organize panel sessions at CERAWeek 2025, March 10-14 in Houston, TX. Join us and global leaders from across the energy value chain and adjacent industries in policy, investment, technology and academia. Detailed information is coming soon! For general information and to register, click here.
Net Zero USA 2025 I May 6 - 7 I San Diego, CA
Reuters Events: Net Zero USA unites influential voices in business, government, and investment to drive positive change in decarbonizing supply chains. Join 300+ senior practitioners for an intimate solution-focused event – providing tools, tech, and strategies to help you define actions your enterprise can take. Come learn how best to navigate the challenges of decarbonizing business, from addressing climate risks to seizing new opportunities. Register Here
Responsible Business USA 2025 I June 23-24 I New York, NY
Join Future 500 team members and Reuters events in 2025 alongside 700+ senior executives focusing on different aspects of sustainable business from finance, legal, procurement, and communcations. This event provides and social and interactive onsite experience, with ample networking time and engaging, interactive sessions. The will leave you with clear actions to consider taking to help guide your enterprise. Register Here
Media Grabbing Our Attention & Why.
The Rivers Run Dry and the Lights Go Out: A Warming Nation’s Doom Loop
NYT, 12/30/24
Quick Take: While some decry the media and civil society for continually catastrophizing climate change such that citizens and policy makers alike become numb to it, this story outlines how one nation’s effort to embrace zero carbon hydropower is being undermined by climate change.
How billionaire Charles Koch’s network won a 40-year war to curb regulation
Washington Post, 12/8/24
Quick Take: The Koch family represents one of many billionaire funders influencing social and environmental issues, particularly in the U.S. They have been staunch advocates of deregulation, so their behind-scenes role in supporting the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the Chevron deference, which gives federal agencies power to administer Congressional laws, is not surprising. What did surprise some was their patient, long-term approach.
Scientists find huge trove of rare metals needed for clean energy hidden inside toxic coal waste
CNN, 12/6/24
Quick Take: As China restricts supplies of rare metals (see next article below), efforts are underway to find alternative supplies by repurposing waste from other sectors, in this case, waste from burning coal to generate electricity.
China Bans Rare Mineral Exports to the U.S.
NYT, 12/3/24
Quick Take: Anticipating a trade war with the Trump administration, China is leveraging its near monopoly on rare minerals needed for sophisticated technologies, from EVs to weapons. This will accelerate onshoring and near-shoring of rare earth mining, with associated ecosystem pressures, in developed countries with stronger environmental laws than China. Long-term, the increased mineral supply may help drive down the cost of technologies like EVs.
How the best CEOs build lasting stakeholder relationships
McKinsey & Company, 11/26/24
Quick Take: The article's advice is sound but clouded by b-school nomenclature (e.g., "Ambassadors"). The author fails to articulate the essence of authentic stakeholder engagement — “humanization” — from the CEO on down so stakeholders can relate personally to the company, learn to trust it over time, and become more vested in its success.
PepsiCo beats New York state's lawsuit over plastics pollution
Reuters, 11/1/24
Quick Take: Reflects the trend in rising greenwashing litigation used by conservative and progressive advocates to advance their marketplace objectives. Sometimes referred to as “slap suits” and dismissed by some as frivolous, they impose opportunity costs on companies, heighten investor and regulatory scrutiny of companies, and can hinder internal morale.
HOLIDAY FUN FACTS
Christmas trees were popularized by Prince Albert when he put one up at Windsor Castle in 1848.
Kwanzaa comes from the Swahili phrase “matunda ya kwanza,” meaning “first fruits.”
“Thanksgivukkah,” a unique coincidence of Thanksgiving and Hanukkah, will happen on Nov. 27, 2070 (the last one being Nov. 28, 2013).
Just one more…
Type O Negative: Besides being the moniker of a classic metal band, this blood type is only found in 7% of the population and can be donated to anyone, keeping it in high demand with hospitals. Consider donating blood this new year; a gift that can save a life!
