Corporations on Climate: Greenwashing or Progress? A Roundtable

Organized by the Institute for Environment, Conservation and Sustainability (IECS), in partnership with Another Story Bookshop, Harbinger Media and the National Observer

Climate change has gone mainstream in the corporate world. Companies are racing to build and broadcast their ESG (environmental, social, and governance) credentials. But greenwashing fiascos are innumerable. From the near worthlessness of Verra’s carbon offset credits to HSBC’s false net-zero pronouncements, even the most cautious observer will find it difficult to differentiate the honest actors from the frauds. Critics tell us capitalism itself is anathema to the avoidance of catastrophic climate change and any solution premised on it will fail; but a prominent pro-ESG rejoinder tells us we are simply out of time to change something as fundamental as capitalism before attempting to stave off the worst climate outcomes, so capitalism it must be. Hosting speakers with diverse points of view, this panel will examine how we should understand the value and the role of green capitalism as the climate crisis worsens.

Melissa Aronczyk is Professor of Media Studies in the School of Communication & Information at Rutgers University. She is the co-author, with Maria Espinoza, of A Strategic Nature: Public Relations and the Politics of Environmentalism (Oxford University Press), winner of the 2023 Roderick P. Hart Outstanding Book Award in Political Communication and the 2022 Outstanding Book Award in Public Relations, Innovation, Development and Educational Achievement (PRIDE), both from the National Communication Association. Her research on how PR affects our ability to communicate about climate change has been featured in The Nation, the Financial Times, Rolling Stone, CNBC, The Intercept, Grist, AdWeek, and Yes Magazine. She has also written stories about PR and sustainability for The Washington Post and Foreign Policy magazine.

Ralph Torrie is Director of Research at Corporate Knights and a recognized leader in sustainable energy and environmental policy. With over 40 years of experience, Ralph has worked as an analyst, communicator, and advocate for sustainability, pioneering strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. He co-founded Torrie Smith Associates, a consulting firm that developed software used by over 300 municipalities, companies, and organizations worldwide to strategically address climate impacts. Ralph has also served as a key consultant for international initiatives, including the Energy Research Group of the United Nations University and climate programs for local governments globally.

John Woodside was named one of Canada Clean50’s emerging leaders in 2023 for his outstanding reporting on the climate and related issues. Focusing on finance, lobbying, energy policy and the climate emergency from Ottawa, Woodside brings a depth of experience to Canada’s National Observer. Before joining Canada’s National Observer, he reported on energy for allNewBrunswick and allNewfoundlandLabrador, and focused on Muskrat Falls, nuclear power, and the Irving group of companies. He has also worked with Cited Media and with the foreign policy news outlet OpenCanada.