Sustainability Leaders

Vehicle tires are highly engineered products whose sustainability implications extend from agricultural supply chains to road infrastructure and connected mobility. In this episode, Emily Hobbs of the BMO Climate Institute joins Maureen Kline, Vice President of Public Affairs and Sustainability at Pirelli North America, to examine how innovation is reshaping the sector. Their discussion covers responsible natural-rubber sourcing, human rights and deforestation risks, renewable energy in manufacturing, and the growing use of bio-based and recycled inputs. They also consider what it will take to build a circular tire economy, including new markets for end-of-life tires, pyrolysis and rubber-modified asphalt. Visit BMO for more thought leadership from Emily Hobbs: https://capitalmarkets.bmo.com/en/our-bankers/emily-hobbs/

Business leadership on climate is increasingly defined not only by emissions reductions, but also how companies address the emissions they cannot yet eliminate. In this episode of Sustainability Leaders, Melissa Fifield, Head of the BMO Climate Institute, speaks with Erik Hansen, Chief Sustainability Officer at Workday, about the company’s evolution from achieving net zero ahead of schedule to advancing new strategies around carbon removal, methane mitigation, and internal carbon pricing. Hansen discusses how Workday evaluates high-integrity climate investments, the growing role of customer and investor expectations, and why tackling super pollutants may offer outsized near-term climate benefits.

As climate risks intensify, the need to finance adaptation and resilience has become both a critical challenge and opportunity for the global economy. Recorded at this year’s Sibos conference in Miami, this episode brings together leaders from finance, development, and innovation to explore how capital can be mobilized to help communities, businesses, and infrastructure withstand a changing climate. Moderated by Gisela Sanchez of the Central American Bank for Economic Integration, the discussion features John Uhren of BMO Capital Markets, Ellie Moriearty of MIT Solve, and Sven Schmidt of Commerzbank. Together, they examine the growing importance of adaptation finance, the barriers that limit investment in climate solutions, real-world examples from around the globe, and the vital role of blended finance in scaling resilience.

Healthcare’s responsibility includes not only treating patients today but also reducing the environmental impacts that affect future health outcomes. In this episode, Michael Torrance, Chief Sustainability Officer at BMO, speaks with Dr. Richard Webster, who leads sustainability initiatives at Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), about how one of Canada’s leading pediatric hospitals is pursuing a board-approved net-zero strategy while maintaining high standards of patient care. Drawing on CHEO's experience and BMO's recent $2 million donation to support CHEO’s sustainability initiatives, the discussion highlights how strategic and intentional partnerships can help healthcare organizations address complex sustainability challenges. They explore why healthcare’s environmental footprint is often overlooked, how CHEO built support for climate action across the organization, and what practical projects are delivering measurable results, from energy efficiency upgrades and smarter building operations to reducing surgical waste. The conversation also examines governance, organizational change, emissions measurement, and the business case for sustainability initiatives that improve both patient outcomes and operational performance.

A potentially historic El Niño could amplify climate and economic pressures across food systems, energy markets and critical infrastructure, making early preparation essential. Alma Cortés Selva, senior advisor at the BMO Climate Institute, speaks with climate scientist Daniel Swain and BMO senior economist Erik Johnson about why the emerging event may rank among the strongest observed. They examine how El Niño interacts with long-term warming, why some regions may face floods while others experience drought, and how agricultural disruption could affect commodity prices, food inflation and interest rates. The conversation also considers how better climate forecasting can give businesses, policymakers and communities valuable time to plan. Visit BMO for more thought leadership from Alma Cortés Selva: https://capitalmarkets.bmo.com/en/our-bankers/alma-cortes-selva/