Research & News
Faculty Research and News
Tom Lyon’s book on corporate political responsibility helps to ‘unrig’ the system
Tom Lyon’s book on corporate political responsibility helps to ‘unrig’ the system Many Americans believe business has too much influence in politics, says Erb faculty member Tom Lyon, the Dow Chair of Sustainable Science, Technology and Commerce. “If you look at...
How diverse groups can set the stage for collaborative action
How diverse groups can set the stage for collaborative actionDiversity in a group can boost its problem-solving and innovation potential. But simply bringing diverse people together doesn’t necessarily help them work well together. “In addressing social issues,...
Charlene Zietsma joins the Erb Institute as Faculty Director
Charlene Zietsma joins the Erb Institute as Faculty DirectorCharlene Zietsma joined the Erb Institute as Faculty Director this January. She joined the University of Michigan as the Max McGraw Professor of Sustainable Enterprise at SEAS and at the Ross School of...
Report: Greenwashing 3.0
Report: Greenwashing 3.0 Why addressing greenwashing remains as important as ever (and what can be done about it)Companies are being put on notice, and paying the price, for deceiving consumers with untrue or ambiguous environmental pronouncements about their...
How can business prioritize justice? Two student researchers weigh in
How can business prioritize justice? Two student researchers weigh in“It is more critical than ever that businesses in the 21st century are focused on generating long-term value for all stakeholders and addressing the challenges we face, which will result in shared...
Are companies’ ESG and net zero commitments a form of greenwashing?
Are companies’ ESG and net zero commitments a form of greenwashing?More than a third of the world’s largest companies have made net zero commitments, and many more have made environmental, social and governance (ESG) commitments. But how many of them will actually...
Embedded activists show promise in creating new climate change solutions
Embedded activists show promise in creating new climate change solutionsCorporations often are expected to have robust sustainability and climate change mitigation plans in place, and activists push for action. But corporations often struggle to make significant...
Connecting the Dots for Earth Day: Ross MAP Projects, Erb Students and a Global Consortium for Net-Zero Carbon
Shaping A Sustainable Future – Getting to Net Zero Michigan Ross 2023 MAP Project with The University of Exeter and the UN Climate Champions Story by Lynnette Iannace of Michigan Ross Cover photo by Thomas Richter on Unsplash One of our international MAP projects this...
It’s time for the end of the fossil-fuel industry as we know it
It’s time for the end of the fossil-fuel industry as we know itWith climate change, “we are confronted with an existential crisis that requires radical action if we are to respond with adequate scope and scale,” Andrew J. Hoffman and Douglas M. Ely argue in the...
Decarbonization for hire: How the climate consulting industry builds greener local economies
Decarbonization for hire: How the climate consulting industry builds greener local economiesPrivate environmental engineering and consulting firms both provide services necessary to fight climate change and help create greener local economies, which I explore in depth...
Alarmed but unmoved: How people respond to information about local environmental risk
Alarmed but unmoved: How people respond to information about local environmental riskInformation about local environmental risk, such as a neighborhood’s air quality data, generally is more accessible than it once was. And businesses have increasingly been required to...
Commentary: There’s a solution to reducing carbon that makes economic sense
All around the world, grave signs of climate change are evident. Our warming planet is fueling natural disasters from Hurricane Ida to wildfires in Siberia, drought in the western U.S., and flooding in southeast Michigan. The cost of destructive weather is rising...