Prudential Financial, AT&T, e.l.f. Beauty, and Yum! Brands have been recognised with the prestigious 2025 ESG Leadership Awards by The Conference Board.
These awards highlight organisations that have demonstrated exceptional leadership in integrating sustainability into their operations, positively impacting society, stakeholders and the environment. Steve Odland, President and CEO of The Conference Board, emphasised the importance of these awards. “By recognising companies that have embedded sustainability into their business, we spotlight how prioritising sustainability helps companies succeed today and for years to come,” shared Odland.
AT&T: COMMITTED TO A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
AT&T’s Chief Sustainability Officer and Senior Vice President of Corporate Responsibility, Charlene Lake, expressed gratitude for the recognition. “We are deeply honoured by this recognition, which underscores the unwavering dedication and exceptional efforts of AT&T’s talented employees,” stated Lake. “Each day, our team harnesses their skills and resources to create substantial value for our customers and stakeholders, while also contributing meaningfully to society and the global community we all share. Our commitment to forging a sustainable future remains steadfast, and we are genuinely humbled by this acknowledgement of our collective endeavours.”
e.l.f. BEAUTY: DRIVING POSITIVE IMPACT THROUGH INNOVATION
Tarang Amin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at e.l.f. Beauty, highlighted the company’s mission to create meaningful change. “At e.l.f. Beauty, we are committed to using our platform to drive positive impact,” shared Amin. “Whether it’s through democratising access to the best of beauty, to wealth creation, to the boardroom and beyond, we strive to make a difference for people, for the planet and for our communities. We are honoured to be recognised by The Conference Board for our efforts and will continue to push boundaries to create meaningful change.”
PRUDENTIAL FINANCIAL: BUILDING INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES
Lata Reddy, SVP of Inclusive Solutions at Prudential Financial, spoke about the company’s dedication to economic empowerment. “We are proud to be recognised by The Conference Board for our work in communities,” shared Reddy. “Prudential was founded in Newark, NJ nearly 150 years ago, and the city is the inspiration for all that we do. Today, we are continuing our efforts to increase economic opportunity for residents and to establish our hometown as a model city for inclusive economic growth. Through this work, we are fulfilling our purpose by expanding access to the financial solutions that help people live better lives longer.”
YUM! BRANDS: DRIVING GOOD GROWTH GLOBALLY
Jon Hixson, Yum!’s Chief Sustainability Officer and VP of Government Affairs, reflected on the honour. “It’s an honour to be recognised by The Conference Board for Yum!’s citizenship and sustainability efforts which are grounded on our commitment to drive good growth.,” stated Hixon. “We’re proud of our progress to date and know that a key part of our success comes from collaboration across our global brands and teams, along with our franchisees, suppliers and the broader restaurant industry.”
CELEBRATING SUSTAINABILITY LEADERSHIP
The achievements of these trailblazing companies will be celebrated at an event hosted by The Conference Board ESG Center on 23 April in New York City. This event will bring together leaders and innovators from across industries to discuss the future of sustainability and recognise the remarkable accomplishments of this year’s honourees.
For more information about the ESG Leadership Awards, click here.
RELATED ARTICLES
COP29 launches new guidance to better support companies tackling the growing complexities of ESG responsibilities.
New research has revealed that that almost six in ten of the top 100 largest public and private US companies are responding to greenwashing concerns by keeping quiet on genuine ESG progress, putting them at risk of ‘greenhushing’.
Companies integrating climate and ESG-related metrics into their executives’ compensation plans more than doubled over the past two years, according to report.
Sign up for our newsletter
