The New Fault Line: How U.S. Polarisation Is Reshaping Global Sustainability with Gillian Tett and Professor Bob Eccles
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The U.S. has become the centre of a global sustainability fault line: it hosts the world’s most advanced innovation ecosystem and deepest pools of private capital—yet remains locked in intensifying political polarisation, regulatory rollbacks, and an anti-ESG backlash. These tensions are reshaping climate policy, capital flows, and global markets.
To understand this moment, Lindsay Hooper and Marc Kahn speak with two globally respected interpreters of political economy and corporate purpose:
Gillian Tett, Provost of King’s College Cambridge and acclaimed FT journalist, and Professor Bob Eccles, leading thinker on corporate reporting and political consensus-building. Together they explore how the U.S. arrived here, how companies are responding on the ground, what this means for global action, and how leaders can navigate the fragmented landscape.
Key Quotes
“Most people aren’t extreme. They’re exhausted. The challenge is creating a narrative that speaks to the middle again.” — Bob Eccles
“Many companies are simply carrying on as before; the rhetoric has changed more than the practice.” Gillian Tett
Key Takeaways
1. Despite the political backlash, most companies continue advancing sustainability quietly because the underlying economic and risk drivers remain strong.
2. The real divide is not left versus right, but public rhetoric versus on-the-ground reality, where pragmatic climate action is still progressing.
3. Reframing sustainability through language around nature, resilience, stewardship and cost savings can rebuild common ground.
4. Leaders must clearly separate material value creation from virtue signalling to regain trust and reduce polarisation.
5. Adaptation and shared local impacts offer a unifying entry point that resonates across political and social divides.
Credits
Presented by:
Lindsay Hooper, Chief Executive, CISL
Marc Kahn, Chief Strategy & Sustainability Officer, Investec
Produced by: Carl Homer (Cambridge TV) & Alexa Sellwood
Executive Producer: Gillian Secrett
In partnership with: Investec
Listen and Subscribe:
Available on all major podcast platforms or visit the Leadership Hub on the CISL website or Investec Focus for more episodes and insights.
Disclaimer:
The views in this podcast are those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent those of CISL, the University of Cambridge or Investec and should not be taken as advice.
To understand this moment, Lindsay Hooper and Marc Kahn speak with two globally respected interpreters of political economy and corporate purpose:
Gillian Tett, Provost of King’s College Cambridge and acclaimed FT journalist, and Professor Bob Eccles, leading thinker on corporate reporting and political consensus-building. Together they explore how the U.S. arrived here, how companies are responding on the ground, what this means for global action, and how leaders can navigate the fragmented landscape.
Key Quotes
“Most people aren’t extreme. They’re exhausted. The challenge is creating a narrative that speaks to the middle again.” — Bob Eccles
“Many companies are simply carrying on as before; the rhetoric has changed more than the practice.” Gillian Tett
Key Takeaways
1. Despite the political backlash, most companies continue advancing sustainability quietly because the underlying economic and risk drivers remain strong.
2. The real divide is not left versus right, but public rhetoric versus on-the-ground reality, where pragmatic climate action is still progressing.
3. Reframing sustainability through language around nature, resilience, stewardship and cost savings can rebuild common ground.
4. Leaders must clearly separate material value creation from virtue signalling to regain trust and reduce polarisation.
5. Adaptation and shared local impacts offer a unifying entry point that resonates across political and social divides.
Credits
Presented by:
Lindsay Hooper, Chief Executive, CISL
Marc Kahn, Chief Strategy & Sustainability Officer, Investec
Produced by: Carl Homer (Cambridge TV) & Alexa Sellwood
Executive Producer: Gillian Secrett
In partnership with: Investec
Listen and Subscribe:
Available on all major podcast platforms or visit the Leadership Hub on the CISL website or Investec Focus for more episodes and insights.
Disclaimer:
The views in this podcast are those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent those of CISL, the University of Cambridge or Investec and should not be taken as advice.
Chapters
- 00:00 Understanding the Pendulum: How We Arrived at Today’s Polarised Landscape (00:00–12:30)
- 12:30 The Political Realignment: ESG Backlash, Cultural Fractures & the New “Stakeholders” (12:30–23:30)
- 23:30 What’s Happening on the Ground: The Reality of Corporate Adaptation (23:30–37:00)
- 37:00 Pathways Forward: Language, Consensus-Building & the Leadership Mandate (37:00–end)
