China’s smoggy skies have long been an embarrassment for its leadership. Now, it seems, Beijing is finally getting serious about rectifying the situation. Soon we’re likely to see new compliance risks—but also sustainability opportunities.

These changes will transform China’s business environment as much as its physical landscape. They portend significant shifts for many functions: government relations, PR, employee engagement, communications, legal, taxation—and, of course, sustainability and CSR. Meanwhile, Beijing has embraced the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This offers a unique convergence point—companies that maximize the business impacts of their sustainability efforts in China can magnify them to a global level.

The reports in our newsletter offer our latest insights into these developments. If you’d like to discuss this, or any other topic, please email me at ethan.cramerflood@conference-board.org. As part of your membership, we’re available to set up a briefing (in-person or virtual) with your team.