20 February, 2026

Are we at the beginning of a pendulum swing back towards progressive, values-based business and sustainability? Could Davos come to be seen as marking a turning point, with the likes of Mark Carney crystallising the need to fight for a new approach to international affairs? Will the recent wave of corporate leaders being more vocal about sustainability gather momentum?  

It’s no doubt too early to say, and the counterforces remain very strong. But we’ve published a new thought piece on our website which builds from the idea that the fightback is in its ascendancy.  

In some ways the hand of business is increasingly being forced. Taking a stand becomes less optional when political, social and cultural factors start to impede directly on the business world’s ability to operate. But alongside these dynamics, there is also, perhaps, a sense that ‘enough is enough.’ The changing fabric of events and the blurring of lines between business and politics gives companies just cause to enter the fray. Some business leaders are ready and willing to grab hold of this. Those for whom staying silent has been hard. Who want to use their power and influence for good. 

This doesn’t mean it’s become easy. The atmosphere is still febrile and there’s every chance that a business pushing out on an issue could becoming a lightning rod for criticism or punitive action. In the face of this tension, we argue that there can be safety – and strength – in numbers. Acting collectively allows businesses to articulate shared interests without placing the full burden on any single organisation. It enables companies to take principled positions on foundational issues such as the rule of law and freedom of trading while reducing individual exposure. It also creates space to engage on more values-driven topics, where appropriate, through a lens of common standards rather than corporate posturing.  

 In an era of geopolitical tension, values wars and growing state intervention, we think collective action and resolve could be a powerful tool, which turns the weak signals of change turn into something stronger and, perhaps, more permanent. 

By Larissa Persons