Our thinking

Business-school-style journalism on sustainability

31 October, 2025

Sustainability is a complex and fast-evolving topic, involving trade-offs, uncertainties, and real-world constraints. This means understanding real-world sustainability challenges demands more than headlines; it requires a lens that integrates analytical rigour with practical, actionable insight. 

The Financial Times’ Business School Cases steps up to this challenge with a series of business-school-style case studies on sustainability. The series explores real-world dilemmas, from assessing whether voluntary ESG reporting delivers meaningful impact to examining how the steel industry can decarbonise without undermining competitiveness.  

What feels fresh about this approach is that it doesn’t just report what companies say, it unpacks how and why decisions are made, and what others can learn from them. Readers are encouraged to explore the accompanying articles and suggested readings, then reflect on the questions posed. This turns current events into lessons in practical and responsible leadership. 

The combination of investigative journalism and business-school-style thinking adds real value. It moves beyond easy headlines to explore tensions, practical outcomes, and strategic choices. And given the complexity at play, we think this is important and valuable. We’d recommend anyone interested in sustainability issues having a look through.

By Tulika Agarwal