Integrated Transition Planning: Connecting Climate, Nature and People
Executive Workshop led by WBCSD & ERM
Why it matters?
Many organizations still manage climate, nature and social priorities through separate strategies and
workstreams. This creates blind spots: risks that interact go unseen, and commercial opportunities are missed.
The ERM and WBCSD workshop explored how Integrated Transition Planning (ITP) brings these priorities into
one business-relevant strategy that is credible, decision-useful and investment-ready.
Key Takeaways:
- Integrate, don’t silo: Climate, nature and social issues are interconnected. Planning for them together
gives leaders a complete, structured view of material risks and opportunities, and shows where tradeoffs sit. - The business case is concrete: An integrated approach can unlock efficiencies, open new commercial
opportunities, help optimize trade-offs across climate, nature and social goals, and strengthen investor
confidence. - Transition planning is a cross-functional effort: No single team owns it. Strategy, finance, risk and
sustainability need to work from the same plan, so it is embedded in core business processes, not run
alongside them. - Start with practical early steps: Organizations do not need a perfect plan on day one. Begin with a
clear view of material issues, build on existing guidance (TPT, NGFS, TCFD and WBCSD), and use early
wins to build momentum and internal support. - Learn from real-world examples: Although the field is still developing, leading companies across
sectors are already seeing results from integrated planning, offering useful models for peers. - What we heard in the room: Many participants noted that climate, nature and social topics are often
managed by different teams, with different data, governance structures and reporting cycles. The
challenge is not a lack of activity, but connecting these efforts into a coherent business transition
strategy. Participants were keen to understand how integrated transition planning can drive commercial
value, inform investment decisions and support greater resilience, while remaining practical and
actionable for management teams - Teams looking to advance their own integrated transition plan can consider three first moves:
- Quantify value-protecting and value-creating opportunities to link the plan to financial planning
- Map material climate, nature and social risks and opportunities in one view.
- Convene strategy, finance, risk and sustainability around a shared plan and owners.
Where to start
- Teams looking to advance their own integrated transition plan can consider three first moves:
- Quantify value-protecting and value-creating opportunities to link the plan to financial planning
- Map material climate, nature and social risks and opportunities in one view.
- Convene strategy, finance, risk and sustainability around a shared plan and owners.
GO FURTHER
Read the full report, Integrated Transition Planning: Business Case, Early Steps, Actions and Guidance, from WBCSD
and ERM for practical guidance and real-world examples:
wbcsd.org/resources/integrated-transition-planning-a-short-introduction