Philippe Joubert is remarkable. He was President and CEO of a major global engneering company. Then he realised now unwilling corporate leaders are to embrace the threats to climate, nature and biodiversity. They needed persuasion and upskilling.
So Philippe’s conscience took over. He embarked on a 180 degree transformation. He created Earth on Board to persuade his once fellow top executives and board members that they had to change their mindsets and how they run their companies.
It is working. That’s why Philippe is a hugely valuable voice to encourage us all.
So please listen in to this conversation with TTU’s founder Nik Gowing. Be encouraged by how positive he is that increasing numbers in businesses and government leaders are rethinking risk, resilience and the future.
How does he do it?
Hear Philippe describe a “constellation of disruption”, where one disruption triggers another, creating consequences that are increasingly difficult to predict or contain. Extreme weather events, economic pressures, technological change and societal shifts are no longer isolated challenges. They are interconnected disruptions that now cascade increasingly violently across entire systems.
Reflects 100% what Thinking the Unthinkable has long been warning about.
The challenge, Philippe argues, is that many organisations are still relying on the past to understand the future. “Past is no longer a good data point for the future.”
Traditional risk management has relied on historical patterns, probability and known scenarios. But in a world where systems are increasingly unstable, leaders must move beyond predicting individual events. Instead they must focus on what they need to protect, preserve and strengthen.
A major part of this shift is changing how businesses measure value. Philippe argues that many organisations are still making decisions based on incomplete numbers because the true cost of environmental impact and nature loss can’t be measured in the ways leaders say they need to make the brave judgements. needed
“We are counterfeiters,” he explains boldy. That is because businesses are often creating profits, paying dividends and making strategic decisions based on calculations that do not include the full nature cost of their impact.
For Philippe, sustainability is no longer a question of reputation or corporate responsibility. It is central to business strategy, governance and long-term survival. So he explains why boards must galvanise themselves to play a much greater role in challenging assumptions. This ie because efficiency alone cannot create resilience, and why businesses cannot build resilience in isolation.
In a world of accelerating disruption, the organisations that succeed will be those willing to challenge assumptions, rethink traditional models and build the future they want to see.
As Philippe concludes: “If you want to predict the future, the best way is to build it.”
The question is whether leaders are prepared to move fast enough.
Philippe Joubert
Philippe Joubert is a business leader, sustainability advocate, and Founder and CEO of Earth on Board, an organisation dedicated to accelerating climate action through boardroom leadership and governance.
Over a distinguished international career, Philippe has held senior leadership roles at Alstom and EDF, while becoming a leading voice on the role of business in addressing climate change. He works closely with corporate boards, investors, and policymakers to help organisations navigate the risks and opportunities of the transition to a low-carbon economy. Joubert is widely recognised for his expertise in climate governance, sustainable business transformation, and building resilience in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.
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