From Jacinda Ardern’s compassionate governance to India’s climate crossroads, a call to brands, businesses, and individuals to lead with conscience and courage

In a world often at odds, the quiet strength of empathy resonates the loudest. Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand’s former Prime Minister and one of the youngest female head of government globally, embodies this ethos in her newly released memoir, A Different Kind of Power. In it, she chronicles her extraordinary journey and champions the idea that leading with empathy may be the key to addressing pressing global challenges – an argument that has also been the subject of one of her fellowships at Harvard Kennedy School. Her leadership ennobled the human spirit, demonstrating that kindness extends beyond human interactions to encompass our engagement with the environment.

Jacinda Ardern is a true disruptor. During her five-year tenure as Prime Minister, she made environmental sustainability and climate action top priorities. In her campaign start speech in 2017, she boldly declared climate change as ‘my generation’s nuclear-free moment,’ setting the stage for a transformative approach to governance.

A profound shift has been underway, driven by the palpable anxieties of the younger generations. For Gen Z and millennials, climate worry deeply influences their purchasing habits, home choices, and overall lifestyles. Brand loyalty now hinges on social responsibility, climate-smart agricultural practices, and responsible sourcing, as consumers demand accountability from the brands they choose to support. Even Gen Z and millennials from India actively strive to reduce their environmental impact and opine that businesses must tackle climate change and promote sustainable consumer choices. Today’s young workforce prioritises companies that align with their values, of empathy towards the environment.

A global survey by UNDP, the University of Oxford and GeoPoll reveals a striking consensus with global citizens demanding that leaders transcend their differences and act boldly to address the climate conundrum. The call for decisive leadership and innovative solutions has never been more critical.

Fast forward to January 2025; India recorded the third warmest January since 1901, signaling an alarming trend of earlier summers. India’s extensive 7,500-km coastline is increasingly at risk, as the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea are experiencing heightened cyclogenesis. This escalation is leading to more frequent storms, accompanied by a whirlpool of challenges: saltwater intrusion, oppressive heatwaves, disrupted fisheries, and the ever-looming threat of rising sea levels. A grim reality indeed. As May 2025 unfolded, the anticipated peak summer heat was lashed by unseasonal rains and thunderstorms.

In response to these urgent challenges, we must display an unflinching commitment to our corporate conscience, where sustainability is a business decision, woven in brands – that stand for a strong purpose. We must create meaningful pathways that foster agency, drive impact, and cultivate shared empathy emphasizing the need to safeguard our planet.

Food companies have a crucial role to play by adopting interventions of healing and renewal, such as regenerative agriculture that mends the earth through biodiversity. The use of renewable energy in manufacturing sites for a future that breathes cleaner air. Switching to fuel-efficient vehicle fleets to create a gentler footprint on our shared earth. Through sustainable sourcing that traces the very root of production, and water stewardship, a commodity not to be squandered.

Mahatma Gandhi’s profound assertion that ‘the future depends on what you do today’ rings truer than ever in the context of the climate emergency. Al Gore in his Nobel speech highlighted the need for a shared commitment, akin to Gandhi’s ‘satyagraha,’ to address the climate challenge through ‘truth force’ and a collective effort that necessitates moral responsibility, and personal commitment from all.

We are after all, individuals endowed with the remarkable ability to bring positive change and forge a path towards a brighter future, for ourselves, our children, and the generations to come. Conversely, we also possess the potential to remain indifferent.

The choice remains ours!

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publication.