Here are 5 lessons on how to prioritise clean air in businesses

The guide outlines the economic and ethical imperatives for businesses to address air pollution, which affects 99% of the global population. It suggests five key lessons: establishing a business case based on productivity and consumer demand, investing in green technologies, enhancing brand value through supplier collaboration, implementing measurement and reporting systems, and advocating for integrated air quality and greenhouse gas emission reductions.

• Air pollution has severe global consequences, affecting 99% of the population and causing approximately 7 million premature deaths annually, with yearly welfare losses totaling $5.11 trillion.
• There is a strong economic incentive for businesses to invest in clean air because pollution reduces worker cognitive abilities and productivity, while sick leaves related to air pollution cost the economy $100 billion per year.
• Consumer behavior is shifting toward sustainability, with 64% of consumers ranking it as a top-three purchasing consideration and 54% willing to pay more for sustainable products.
• In India, businesses are the second largest source of PM 2.5 emissions, resulting in an annual cost of approximately $95 billion to Indian businesses.
• Businesses are encouraged to adopt an integrated approach to emissions, as greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants often share the same sources; the Alliance for Clean Air helps companies measure these pollutants across value chains.

APA

Sterley, V. N. S. N. (2024). Here are 5 lessons on how to prioritise clean air in businesses. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/how-to-prioritise-clean-air-in-businesses-pollution/

Chicago

Sterley, Vaishali Nigam Sinha, Nadine. Here are 5 lessons on how to prioritise clean air in businesses. World Economic Forum, 2024. https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/how-to-prioritise-clean-air-in-businesses-pollution/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Sterley |first1=Vaishali Nigam Sinha, Nadine |title=Here are 5 lessons on how to prioritise clean air in businesses |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=17 September 2024 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/how-to-prioritise-clean-air-in-businesses-pollution/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sterley2024here, author = {Sterley, Vaishali Nigam Sinha, Nadine}, title = {{Here are 5 lessons on how to prioritise clean air in businesses}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2024}, month = sep, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/climate-action/how-to-prioritise-clean-air-in-businesses-pollution/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }