Embracing the Messiness of Sustainability with Alison Taylor

In this new installment of the Doing Sustainability podcast, Alison joins Gary Baker and Roxanne “Rocket” White to discuss the importance of considering the interaction between values, culture, and ethics in creating positive or negative feedback loops, as well as why she believes that companies should focus on solving problems within their own operations before making big promises about solving societal issues. Alison is clear on the need for a better conversation that focuses on the core issues and challenges of sustainability. She believes that companies should center their ethical efforts on treating human beings with dignity and respect, which she acknowledges may seem obvious but is often overlooked.

Alison works at the intersection of corporate integrity, risk, and responsibility. She is a clinical professor at NYU Stern School of Business, where she teaches professional responsibility, sustainability, and leadership classes to undergraduate, MBA, and Executive MBA students. Alison is also Executive Director of Ethical Systems (which is part of NYU Stern School of Business) and is currently writing a book for HBR Press on how the landscape for business ethics is transforming.

As well as working at NYU Stern School of Business, Alison holds Senior Advisor roles at BSR, Zai Lab, KKR, and Pictet Group, and is a member of the WEF Global Future Council on Good Governance 2023-24. She has contributed to Harvard Business Review, WSJ, Quartz, Reuters, Barron’s, MIT Sloan, and Forbes, and is a renowned keynote speaker.