Stakeholder Capitalism
Business Leaders Must Join the Fight Against Climate Crisis, Write Marc Benioff and Richard Branson in a CNN Op-Ed
“It is our responsibility to use our profits and platforms to fight the climate emergency on land and in our seas,” write Salesforce Chairman and co-CEO Marc Benioff and Virgin Group Founder Sir Richard Branson in an op-ed. “It’s not only the right thing to do, it’s good business; our employees, partners and communities are demanding it.”
“The ocean is the biggest victim of climate change,” they note. “Sucking up so much heat and carbon dioxide has caused the ocean to become hotter much faster than we thought possible, and more acidic. It is melting sea ice at the Poles and driving oxygen out of the seas.”
Branson and Benioff also point out urgent milestones pertaining to ocean protection coming up: “By the end of 2020, we must deliver a strong high seas biodiversity treaty at the United Nations that protects key regions of our shared international waters; we must make sure that vast expanses of Antarctica’s Southern Ocean are protected; and nations must agree at the Convention on Biological Diversity meeting next year to fully protect at least 30% of our ocean by 2030, and then ensure the remaining 70% is sustainably managed.”
Benioff is founder of the Benioff Ocean Initiative, and has also written about the urgency of protecting our oceans with Marco Lambertini, Director General of WWF International, here, and Bridgewater Associates founder Ray Dalio, here. Richard Branson supports nonprofits such as Oceans Unite and Ocean Elders.
Benioff’s new book, Trailblazer: The Power of Business as the Greatest Platform for Change, will debut on October 15. Learn more here.
