We don’t know precisely how climate change will alter the planet, but two things are certain: Its complex environmental impact will directly affect business, society, and ecosystems; and governments will seek to mitigate its effects with far-reaching regulations.

The automotive sector is critical to achieving net-zero global emissions by 2050, the foundation of the road map toward limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Many original-equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are accordingly setting aggressive de-carbonization targets to meet this challenge.

2019 may be remembered as the year when climate change activism went mainstream. At the end of September, in a series of rallies timed to coincide with the United Nations climate summit, an estimated six million people in more than 180 countries took to the streets to demand far more action to cut greenhouse emissions.

More and more, firms are investing heavily to improve their corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices. But the debate on the green approach continues to swirl: Does it just burnish a company’s reputation, or does it actually result in a more robust bottom line? According to a new study, companies can indeed make more green by going green, but only if they take a patient, holistic approach that includes both environmental and social endeavors.