The Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) has called on local businesses to adopt proactive climate action strategies warning that sustainability is no longer optional but a matter of survival.
Speaking at the 2025 Strategic Intelligence Forum Pre-Conference, CZI chief executive Sekai Kuvarika said companies must begin mapping their exposure to climate risks and measuring their environmental footprint to remain viable in a rapidly changing global economy.
“Sustainability is an existential matter. It will future-proof your business because we are existing on a planet whose changes are going to affect how we do business — or whether our businesses actually exist,” Kuvarika said.
She noted that industries reliant on natural or outdoor-based processes such as agriculture and mining are particularly vulnerable to droughts, extreme weather and other climate-related disruptions that could cripple value chains.
Kuvarika emphasised the need for firms to shift from reactive compliance to proactive sustainability planning.
“What we are trying to do is to ensure that businesses actively and intentionally are able to map their exposure to climate change but also anticipate their impact on the environment that may cause or accelerate it. Businesses are now trying to make sure that they can account for their emissions — are they able to calculate emissions for their entities?” she said.
The CZI is currently engaged in capacity-building initiatives to help its members develop tools and expertise for carbon accounting and climate risk management.
Kuvarika said this approach would strengthen the resilience of Zimbabwean industries in the face of global environmental and regulatory shifts.
She also commended the Ministry of Environment for taking bold steps in setting national targets and policies for climate management but urged the private sector to keep pace.
“Our Ministry of Environment has been very progressive in setting targets for the country and putting together regulations and policies for climate management. We probably need to raise the momentum on the business side so that we are not waiting to comply with what comes out of policy, but we also proactively begin to take action,” she said.
