The pet food industry is facing a transformation that goes far beyond packaging, recycling rates, or individual ESG measures. This was precisely the message at the first Interzoo Sustainability Conference 2026 in Nuremberg. Elliott Harris, one of the world’s leading economists on sustainable development, spoke about the future of business, risk, and responsibility – and made it clear: sustainability is no longer an optional add-on, but a fundamental requirement for economic stability.
The former Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and former UN Chief Economist for economic development opened the conference with a clear diagnosis: ten years after the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the world is not on track in many areas. At the same time, the debate is becoming increasingly complex – geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainties, and short-term profit expectations make long-term decision-making more difficult.
And yet, Harris articulated an equally clear counterpoint: it is not sustainability that threatens profitability, but rather the lack of sustainability that will become a long-term risk.
Sustainability as a business risk
Harris framed his argument less in moral terms and more in economic logic. Climate risks, resource scarcity, air pollution, and unstable supply chains are no longer purely environmental concerns – they are concrete economic factors.
He illustrated this with an example from the insurance sector. Hurricane Andrew in 1992 caused billions of dollars in damage in Florida and brought several major insurers close to collapse. The industry responded by fundamentally rethinking how risks are modeled and by integrating climate risks into calculations. When Hurricane Sandy struck twenty years later and caused even greater damage, insurers were significantly better prepared.
For Harris, this is the key point: sustainability is increasingly becoming part of traditional risk analysis. “If we don’t act, it will become more expensive,” he said in a discussion with moderator Paul van der Raad – a statement that condensed the core message of his keynote.
A self-critical view of the sustainability agenda
Harris also spoke openly about shortcomings in international sustainability policy. In retrospect, the development of the SDGs underestimated how closely sustainability is linked to financing and business models.
“With hindsight, I would have brought bankers to the table and involved the financial sector much earlier,” Harris said. Financial markets had recognized early that sustainability is closely tied to risk management. Politics alone is not enough. What is needed are economically viable sustainable business models and clear transformation pathways for companies. With this perspective, Harris shifted the sustainability debate – from awareness and responsibility toward incentives, financing, and economic governance.
