Over the years, I've worked with organizations chasing aggressive growth targets, streamlining operations after billion-dollar mergers and squeezing margins across every corner of the business. But there's a conversation that's long overdue for boardrooms beyond Earth Day: Without the planet, there is no profit.

For decades, companies have focused relentlessly on the "profit" pillar. More recently, the "people" pillar, which includes advancing shared prosperity, workforce well-being and community impact, has gained rightful prominence. But it's time to fully commit to the third pillar: planet. Not as a charitable side note, but as a core business imperative. The idea that environmental responsibility and economic success are at odds isn't just outdated — it's dangerous.

When ecosystems thrive, so do economies. Productivity rises. Health improves. Stability holds. In contrast, resource scarcity, toxic air and environmental collapse fuel inflation, conflict and destruction. Most wars, both historic and current, are rooted in battles over land, water or energy.

The reality is clear: Polluted environments increase illness, reduce morale and disrupt business at every level. Droughts and floods drive up costs. Extreme weather severs supply chains. In the U.S. alone, extreme weather events cost businesses over $165 billion in 2022, disrupting logistics, damaging infrastructure and stalling operations, according to a report from The NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. The World Bank attributes a 5% reduction of global GDP, due to health impacts, lost productivity and reduced life expectancy caused........

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