We Mean Business Coalition: A Decade of Driving Climate Action

María Mendiluce, CEO of the We Mean Business Coalition, is one of TIME’s 100 Most Influential Climate Leaders. As the Coalition celebrates its 10-year anniversary, María reflects on the milestones that have mobilized over 17,000 companies—representing half of the world’s market capitalization—to commit to climate action.

💬 “We have the commitment of 17,000 companies with half of the world's market capitalization,” says María. “Everybody's business is part of somebody else's supply chain.”

Key topics include:
- Progress since the Paris Agreement and how businesses are driving climate action
- Lessons Europe can learn from China’s advancements in green technology
- The urgent need to transition from fossil fuels
- How AI can optimize supply chains while addressing the challenge of high energy consumption
- The critical role of SMEs and how businesses can prepare for a sustainable future
- The importance of corporate accountability and radical collaboration across sectors
- The impact of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB)

💬 “Supporting the ISSB is very important to have a global baseline,” María emphasizes, highlighting the need for alignment across geography, sectors, and industries.

As we approach New York Climate Week and COP 29 in Baku, this episode is the perfect refresher on how we can all be a force for good in addressing the climate crisis.