On 19^th November 2025, the European Chamber hosted its 12^th Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Awards in Nanjing. The event was attended by more than 150 participants who gathered to celebrate more than a decade of CSR promotion and advocacy by the European Chamber. In this article, Chia-Lin Coispeau explores the challenges facing CSR and sustainability amid geopolitical turbulence.

The start of 2026 has already seen a number of key events that might trigger key questions about the future course of CSR. Some might argue that its relevance could fade in light of recent geopolitical events and ongoing challenges to the international order.

On the international stage, 2025 marked the decisive halfway point toward 2030 for achieving  the 17 United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with climate action one of the key goals. Last year also marked the pivotal 10^th anniversary of the Paris Agreement, the world’s most important effort to tackle rising temperatures, which was initially signed by 189 countries including the United States (US). Yet in January 2025, President Donald Trump again vowed to withdraw the US from the landmark agreement.[1] The COP 30, held in November 2025, was also the first international climate conference since the Trump administration abandoned international cooperation on global warming, making it even more challenging to reach a consensus. Although the ambitious climate finance goals agreed at COP 29 in 2024[2]—which agreed to a tripling of annual climate finance  for developing countries[3]—was reiterated, the pledge to transition away from fossil fuels made at COP 28 did not appear in the accord.

Furthermore, on January 7^th 2026 a White House presidential memorandum was issued by the Trump administration to declare its intention to withdraw from both the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the UN body once considered the global authority on climate science.[4]

Are the climate goals still achievable?

Responses to the climate goal vary globally. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen restated the European Union’s (EU’s) commitment to the goal in November 2025.[5] The EU has also committed to carbon neutrality by 2050.

In China, since President Xi Jinping’s 2020 announcement of the dual ‘30/60 goals’—achieving peak carbon emissions by 2030 and being carbon neutral by 2060—the transition to net zero has become a new driver of China’s economic growth. In November 2025, in a UN address, Xi pledged to cut China’s greenhouse gas emissions to seven to 10 per cent below peak levels by 2035.[6] However, according to the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air, Chinawill miss key energy and emissions targets laid out in its 14^th Five-year Plan (FYP), which runs from 2021 to 2025.[7]

Have the previous decades of climate concerns actually lost their acuteness? In its sixth assessment report released in 2023, the IPCC mentioned that the 1.5 °C target limit above pre-industrial levels was still achievable and that the largest gains in well-being could be obtained by focussing actions on lower-income and marginalised communities.[8] However, the actual plans presented at COP 30 fall short of putting the world on a trajectory that would limit warming to 1.5 °C.

CSR and the transition to China’s 15^th FYP

Under China’s 14^th FYP, its economy has grown by more than five per cent each year. According to the recommendations adopted at the fourth plenary session of the 20^th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the 15^th FYP[9] (2026–2030) will be designed to transform China’s economy from being a qualitative manufacturing-orientated economy to one emphasising high-quality development and innovation-driven growth, focussing on technological advancement, sustainability and economic resilience. Environmental sustainability is a defining priority. For example, the 15^th FYP is expected to further advance initiatives targeting cleaner air, water and environmental ecosystems, while also strengthening national security.

For companies, this shift will have operational implications. For example, the climate enforcement infrastructure was reinforced, with the expansion of the National Carbon Emissions Trading System (ETS) into heavy industry. In addition, the Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Beijing stock exchanges have issued mandatory sustainability reporting guidelines in 2024, leading to new corporate sustainability disclosure standards. Listed companies will be required to publish their 2025 sustainability reports by the 30^th April 2026 deadline.

Does CSR still matter?

Over the years, CSR evolved from being a nice-to-have concept to a business imperative, but faced significant headwinds in 2025. In the US, the Trump administration rolled back federal environmental regulations and other rules imposed on corporate America, while multinationals such as Coca-Cola[10] have decreased their public CSR commitments. Regional environmental, social and governance standards between the US, Europe and China have diverged, creating a pivot for corporate responsibility and a unique opportunity to strengthen Europe-China cooperation in the field.

Successful CSR strategies deliver competitive advantage as well as environmental, ethical and social progress. The right strategy can achieve economic targets such as a strengthened customer base and loyalty, improved corporate image, increased employee retention and long-term business sustainability. To achieve those targets, companies need to recruit, train and retain bold, responsible leaders – leaders able to lead a company with a triple bottom-line vision: economic, environmental and social.

Some companies have already undertaken bold CSR initiatives, such as the winners of the 12^th European Chamber CSR awards. These companies succeed in managing complexity in highly uncertain and turbulent times: they develop and create innovative strategies that will ensure sustainable economic growth, societal progress and the creation of impactful innovation ecosystems. In this regard, European companies operating in China must continue to play a key role.

This article was partly inspired by speeches delivered during the European Chamber 12^th CSR Awards. 

The European Chamber would like to take this opportunity to thank the judges, winners, applicants and speakers at the 12^th CSR Awards for their contribution to the event.

Chia-Lin Coispeau is partner at Maverlinn Impact Innovation, an advisory firm aimed at creating impact and reducing social and environmental issues in Asia and Europe. The firm crafts innovative strategies to deliver superior value to industry leaders. Maverlinn is committed to promoting a model of humane development through constant attention given to personal empowerment and the common good.

[1] McGrath, M, Trump vows to leave Paris climate agreement and ‘drill, baby, drill’, BBC, 21^st January 2025, viewed 16^th January 2026, <https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c20px1e05w0o>

[2] COP29 UN Climate Conference Agrees to Triple Finance to Developing Countries, Protecting Lives and Livelihoods, United Nations, 24^th November 2024, viewed 16^th January 2026, <https://unfccc.int/news/cop29-un-climate-conference-agrees-to-triple-finance-to-developing-countries-protecting-lives-and>

[3] Funding to tackle the impacts of climate change and help countries transition to low-carbon economies.

[4] Aeberhard, D, Haganand, R, and McGrath, M, Trump withdraws US from key climate treaty and dozens of other groups, BBC, 9^th January 2026, viewed 16^th January 2026, <https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp80ln97py5o>

[5] Climate ambition: EU stays the course and sends a strong message ahead of COP 30 in Belém, European Union, 6^th November 2025, viewed 16^th January 2026, <https://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/china/climate-ambition-eu-stays-course-and-sends-strong-message-ahead-cop-30-bel%C3%A9m_en>

[6] Q&A: What does China’s new Paris Agreement pledge mean for climate action?, Carbon Brief, 25^th September 2025, viewed 16^th January 2026, <https://www.carbonbrief.org/qa-what-does-chinas-new-paris-agreement-pledge-mean-for-climate-action/>

[7] Myllyvirta, L, Schäpe, B, Qin, Q, Qiu, C, and Shen, X, China’s Climate Transition: Outlook 2025, Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, 4^th December 2025, viewed 16^th January 2026, <https://energyandcleanair.org/publication/china-climate-transition-outlook-2025/>

[8] AR6 Synthesis Report: Climate Change 2023, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 20^th March 2023, viewed 16^th January 2026, <https://www.ipcc.ch/report/sixth-assessment-report-cycle/>

[9] Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria Yu Dunhai Publishes Signed Article “Persistent Dedication: China’s 15th Five-Year Plan to Continue the Development Miracle”, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 9^th November 2025, viewed 16^th January 2026, <https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/mfa_eng/xw/zwbd/202511/t20251114_11753211.html>

[10] Coca-Cola’s cut on sustainability commitments draws global ire, ESG Post, 11^th December 2024, viewed 16^th January 2026, <https://esgpost.com/coca-colas-cut-on-sustainability-commitments-draws-global-ire/>