Top 5 Visionary Leaders driving sustainability in 2025
Across every sector, from energy and materials to transportation and manufacturing, the call for sustainability is growing louder—and more urgent. Climate change, resource scarcity, shifting consumer values, and tightening regulations have all converged into a global reckoning: business as usual will no longer suffice. To remain viable, industries must reimagine not just what they produce, but how they operate—from supply chains and energy sources to waste management and product design.
Yet despite the imperative, the transition is notoriously difficult. Industrial systems are complex and deeply entrenched. Competitive pressures, fragmented value chains, and the sheer scale of legacy infrastructure can make sustainable transformation feel impossible. In many sectors, especially the chemical industry, collaboration between rivals is rare, innovation cycles are long, and the stakes—economic, environmental, and social—are extraordinarily high.
This is precisely the terrain where Charlie Tan thrives. As CEO of the Global Impact Coalition (GIC), Charlie is doing what many deemed improbable: getting some of the largest chemical giants to work together on solving sustainability’s toughest problems. By championing radical
collaboration, systems-level thinking, and results-driven innovation, he is catalyzing an industrial movement that prioritizes climate action without compromising competitiveness.
Whether it’s launching joint R&D initiatives to tackle plastic waste, piloting circular supply chain models, or amplifying corporate commitments at global forums, Charlie’s leadership is redefining what progress looks like in hard-to-abate industries. His work isn’t just about driving change—it’s about making sustainability operational, scalable, and, most importantly, shared.
A Quote to Live By:
One quote that’s stuck with Charlie is: “Don’t confuse motion with progress.”
He explains:
“In the sustainability world—and especially in big industry—it’s easy to stay busy. There are always meetings, roadmaps, and projects to work on. But activity isn’t the same as impact. I try to remind myself (and the teams I work with) that doing less, better, is often more powerful than chasing everything at once. Focused action beats scattered effort every time. It’s something we take seriously at GIC. We’re not here to be the loudest voice in the room—we’re here to get real things done.”
