Take on Tomorrow @ Climate Week NYC: What are the opportunities when business takes climate action?

There are strong forces at play right now—deep and profound trends such as technological disruption and social instability, that are changing our lives and the world around us. Business leaders can’t ignore these megatrends. But what actions are they taking? How can they plan amid a constantly shifting landscape? We’ve gathered insights from thousands of CEOs around the world to try to learn what they’re thinking about the big issues—from GenAI to climate change to the need for reinvention—and what it all could mean for the global economy. And we’ve mined the results to see what they can reveal about the future—what it will take for companies to prosper, and how to avoid being left behind.In this episode of Take on Tomorrow, recorded live in Davos, Switzerland, at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, PwC’s Sarah von Fischer is joined by Carol Stubbings, PwC’s Global Chief Commercial Officer, and Paul Griggs, PwC US Senior Partner. The trio discuss the findings of PwC’s 28th Annual Global CEO Survey and ask: what does it take to thrive in an uncertain world?   Take on Tomorrow is brought to you by strategy+business, a PwC publication © 2025 PwC. 

AI is being embedded in everything we do, from the way our cities operate to how we live and work. Information, decision-making, and problem-solving are all being transformed. Enter the “AI agent,” here to help people work smarter and more productively. But will people trust this rapidly evolving technology? And what happens if that trust erodes? Business and society are working to navigate the myriad challenges AI presents—and to answer a big question: how can we work to build responsible AI in the age of agentic AI?   In this episode, recorded live at the WEF Annual Meeting in Davos, PwC’s Sarah von Fisher is joined by PwC’s Matt Wood, Global and US Commercial Technology & Innovation Officer. They discuss what the age of agentic AI looks like and what leaders can do to make sure the technology is deployed ethically, and with accountability and transparency—as AI becomes more engrained in our everyday lives.  Take on Tomorrow is brought to you by strategy+business, a PwC publication © 2024 PwC. 

More than two years have passed since generative AI went mainstream. Now the pressure is on for the technology to deliver concrete results. So has it lived up to all the hype? And, in particular, has GenAI met its early promise to boost workplace productivity and help employees engage in more high-impact work?   Hosts Lizzie O’Leary and Femi Oke talk with Svenja Gudell, Chief Economist at the jobs site Indeed, about the state of the labor market in this new GenAI world and the workforce shifts that are already underway. PwC’s Global Workforce Leader, Pete Brown, brings fresh insights from a new report issued by the World Economic Forum, in collaboration with PwC, that looks at how businesses can roll out GenAI for job augmentation and to help worker productivity. In an economic environment currently characterized by low productivity growth, are we seeing signs that GenAI can make a difference?  Take on Tomorrow is brought to you by strategy+business, a PwC publication © 2025 PwC. 

Business leaders are asked to perform the ultimate balancing act.    They face pressure to manage their company’s environmental footprint, adjust to the impacts of climate change, and build rewarding experiences for employees and customers, all while continuing to deliver financial performance. So, how do they accomplish that? And what can the business world learn from companies that are already testing new ways to respond to these pressures?    In this episode of Take on Tomorrow, hosts Lizzie O’Leary and Femi Oke talk with Charles Conn—venture capital investor, author, and longtime Board Chair of outdoor gear and clothing company Patagonia. They discuss how Patagonia squares its ethical commitments with the need to make money in a highly competitive market, and lessons the company’s learned that can apply to other businesses. They also talk to Colm Kelly, Global Leader, Corporate Sustainability, for the PwC network, about what he hears in boardrooms and how the real-world impacts of the climate transition are prompting change.   Take on Tomorrow is brought to you by strategy+business, a PwC publication © 2024 PwC. 

The world is full of uncertainties right now. But there’s also opportunity: a chance for reinvention on a global scale, for business and society to work together to create a future that’s inclusive, sustainable, and resilient.To learn more about that vision of the future, Take on Tomorrow is recording live from the APEC CEO Summit—the most influential annual gathering of business and political leaders from the Asia-Pacific rim’s 21 economies—where we’ll unpack some of the crucial discussions happening at this year’s event. PwC’s Sarah von Fischer is on the ground in Lima, Peru, where she’s joined by PwC’s Global Chairman Mohamed Kande, and Sintesa Group’s CEO Shinta Kamdani. The trio discuss the vital role the Asia-Pacific region plays in inclusive global growth, the impact of new technologies, and how to stay resilient in a shifting world.Take on Tomorrow is brought to you by strategy+business, a PwC publication © 2024 PwC. 

Consider this: more than half of the companies that were listed on the Fortune 500 in 2003 have since gone bankrupt, been acquired, or otherwise ceased to exist. And the question of survival is just as urgent for businesses today: 45% of respondents in PwC’s most recent Global CEO Survey said their company won’t be viable in ten years if it sticks to its current path. So how do businesses stay ahead of the curve, and make sure they’re still around in 20 years’ time? In this episode of Take on Tomorrow, hosts Lizzie O’Leary and Femi Oke are joined by Daniel Susskind, Research Professor in Economics at King’s College London, Senior Research Associate at Oxford University, and author of Growth: A Reckoning. Together, they look at how innovation and ideas can lay the groundwork for a new way to measure growth. PwC’s Global Business Model Reinvention Leader, Matthew Duffey, also joins the discussion to explain why companies need to innovate—sometimes completely reinventing their business models—if they’re to compete in the late 2020s and beyond. Take on Tomorrow is brought to you by strategy+business, a PwC publication © 2024 PwC.

Food is essential for our health, survival and social well-being.  But global food security is facing increased threats. Climate change, global tensions and supply chain disruptions mean our food systems are becoming more precarious. And as the global population grows, demand for food shows no signs of slowing. So, what role can businesses play in reimagining our food systems? And how can they help with the changes that will be required to secure our food supply for generations to come?    In this episode of Take on Tomorrow, hosts Lizzie O’Leary and Femi Oke are joined by Rob Cameron, Global Head of Environmental, Social, and Governance Engagement at Nestlé, to find out how the company is working to build more resilient food systems. They also talk to Stuti Sethi, a thought leader with Strategy&, PwC’s global strategy consulting business, about the roles of business and government in strengthening food systems—and why a combined effort is so important for the future of food.

Quantum computing could revolutionize how we live, and it's fast approaching reality—but is the world ready? Quantum computers use the laws of quantum mechanics to solve complex problems in seconds—making them far more powerful than the most advanced supercomputer. The possibilities seem limitless: it could help treat previously incurable diseases, help us make better informed decisions, and completely reinvent our ways of living.   The impact will be huge. So, how should business leaders navigate this unchartered territory? How can they invest in the right technology? How will workers learn to use it, and what are the benefits–and risks–to society? In this episode of Take on Tomorrow, hosts Lizzie O’Leary and Femi Oke talk with Caltech mathematical physicist Spiros Michalakis about the forthcoming quantum revolution and what it could mean for businesses and society, and PwC’s Global Chief AI Engineer Scott Likens weighs in on the business opportunities this new technology could bring.  

No one is untouched by the effects of climate change. That includes businesses of all sizes, which face the mounting risks of nature loss and a warming planet. But these challenges can also reveal opportunities. The transformation, and sometimes complete reinvention, of how a business functions could be just what’s needed to spark the new ways of thinking that will lead to green growth.       To tackle these issues—and launch Series 3 of Take on Tomorrow—we’ve recorded an episode live, on the ground, at Climate Week NYC.      Host Lizzie O’Leary talks with Helen Clarkson, CEO of Climate Group, and Renate de Lange, PwC’s Global Sustainability Markets Leader, to hear how—despite the risks climate change presents—there’s still a huge opportunity to build greener, more successful, and more sustainable businesses that can thrive through the decades ahead.     Take on Tomorrow is brought to you by strategy+business, a PwC publication © 2024 PwC.  

Take on Tomorrow, the award-winning podcast from PwC’s management publication, strategy and business, returns on Friday 27 September for Series 3. Join hosts Lizzie O’Leary and Femi Oke and hear some of the brightest minds and boldest thinkers on how they’re tackling the greatest challenges facing the world. Follow Take on Tomorrow so you don’t miss an episode.