Deborah Câmara Batista, FGV Alumna and Climate Change Research Consultant, and Jorge Juan Soto Delgado, Director of Sustainable Development at Braskem SA, use studies of three leading Brazilian companies to propose a blueprint for companies to move away from climate mitigation to climate adaption.  

Based on Corporate Climate Adaptation: From risk awareness to strategic action by Deborah Batista and Jorge Soto. Originally published in Portuguese in GVexecutivo – FGV EAESP.

The climate crisis is no longer a distant threat but very present and increasingly experienced. For companies, climate crisis is a reality that disrupts supply chains, damages infrastructure, and alters market dynamics on a daily basis.

However, most responses from companies still focus on lessening or minimizing the adverse impacts of climate crisis while overlooking the urgent need for adaptation – taking action to prepare for and adjust to the current and projected effects of climate change.

Why Climate Adaptation is Important

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns that adaptation is no longer an option. Climate change is already affecting rainfall patterns, temperature averages, and the frequency of extreme weather events. While mitigation remains key, it is insufficient to protect businesses from escalating risks. Adaptation involves adjusting operations, infrastructure, and governance to anticipate and respond to climate impacts.

Using the examples of three leading Brazilian companies who have begun to implement climate adaptation strategies, we pick up on the challenges, opportunities, and solutions that can guide businesses toward greater resilience in the context of global warming. We bring these together in a CoBS Research Pod – a condensed “learning capsule” for instructors, practitioners, and students interested in learning more.

Download the CoBS Research Pod Business Resilience: How to adapt your organisation to climate change

Useful links:

• Link up with Deborah Câmara Batista and Jorge Soto on LinkedIn
• Read a related article: Climate Change inside organisations: Why adaptation is uneven
• Discover FGV EAESP, Brazil
• Browse the FGV EAESP graduate program portfolio and apply.

Learn more about the Council on Business & Society

The Council on Business & Society (CoBS), visionary in its conception and purpose, was created in 2011, and is dedicated to promoting responsible leadership and tackling issues at the crossroads of business, society, and planet including the dimensions of sustainability, diversity, social impact, social enterprise, employee wellbeing, ethical finance, ethical leadership and the place responsible business has to play in contributing to the common good.  

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Member schools of the Council on Business & Society.

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• Warwick Business School, United Kingdom.