Faculty Spotlight: Adam Gordon
Adam Gordon is an adjunct professor in the Sustainability Management Program at Columbia University. He will teach the course “ESG-Compliant Corporate Governance” in Spring 2023.
Adam Roy Gordon is currently an adjunct professor at Columbia University Sustainability Management Plan. He is a director of the United Nations Global Compact U.S. Network, the U.S. Network of the Secretary-General’s Corporate Sustainability Initiative, of which he is a founding employee. He is a renowned corporate sustainability keynote speaker, a contributor to The Atlantic, and has been named to the Top 100 Environment + Energy Leaders.
Previously, Gordon worked at CDP, supporting the integration of climate change, water and deforestation disclosures into company performance. He is an Environmental Protection Fund Climate Corps Fellow at Colgate-Palmolive and has extensive experience in sustainability, from advising the government of Montenegro on green building policy to creating New York City’s first commercial compost truck.
He holds a bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College, a master’s degree in Sustainability Management from Columbia University, and is currently enrolled in the Leadership Development Program at Harvard Business School.
What initially motivated you to pursue the field of sustainability?
Nothing is more important than protecting the planet and people. I started my career working with farmers because I believe that nothing connects us to the earth more than soil. Working with farmers has taught me the importance of an effective business model for further sustainable development, which has inspired me to work on integrating sustainability into core business operations.
What drew you to the Columbia School of Climate and Professional Studies?
I am proud to be a graduate of the MSc in Sustainability Management. My student years at Columbia were pivotal to my career, both for my professional and personal development. The opportunity to now teach in this program is deeply satisfying.
What courses will you teach and what excites you the most?
I will be teaching ESG-compliant corporate governance in Spring 2023. I am excited about this course because it allows me to share my experience working with corporate leadership with the next generation of leaders. Aligning corporate governance with sustainability principles is often overlooked, but it is the key to unlocking the potential for sustainability across organizations.
What changes do you hope to see in the future of sustainability?
We are going through a dynamic period in the field of sustainability. It matures with new regulations, investor interest and evolving best practices. Ultimately, I would like to see this area become central to the company’s strategy. It is not enough for a company to develop sustainable products or services, or to create reports for stakeholders. While sustainability metrics are important, we need to focus more on integrating sustainability holistically into the core strategies of all companies to achieve the world we want.
What advice do you have for students pursuing sustainable careers?
Sustainability is about navigating various corporate silos and disparate domains. The job of a sustainability professional is to be a translator between different communities to highlight and influence the connections between them. Focus on interconnectivity and your ability to effectively navigate between departments to develop novel solutions.
