Signatories and members of the Pledge community earned spots on the 2025 TIME100 Climate List, which honors executives and decision-makers driving business climate action. The list, now in its third year, focused on global leaders solving environmental problems.
Honorees include Beta Technologies CEO Kyle Clark, who in June became the first pilot to land an electric plane at John F. Kennedy International Airport, and Schneider Electric Chief Sustainability Officer Esther Finidori, who seeks to make the company carbon neutral across its operations by the end of this year and across its value chain by 2040.
Read excerpts of the TIME article below to see why these leaders appeared on this year’s list.
Eva Riesenhuber, Global Head of Sustainability, Siemens
Leader, putting ideas into action
“This moment holds immense potential as there is no single action to advance the climate agenda,” Riesenhuber said, when asked what needs to be done in the next year to address climate change. “It requires system changes like more renewable energy sources coming online; smarter grids allowing for bidirectional electricity flow and higher, more efficient peak load; better battery storage; broader charging networks; and a unified energy market.”
Riesenhuber is putting theory into practice as global head of sustainability for Europe’s largest engineering company. Under her leadership, Siemens has made its products more energy efficient, financed renewable energy projects, and launched major initiatives to electrify transportation in Egypt and India. The Siemens products sold in 2024 are expected to help customers avoid emissions equivalent to 144 million tons of carbon dioxide. Learn more.
Kyle Clark, CEO, Beta Technologies
Innovator, building new solutions
Clark’s Beta Technologies is founded on a simple question: If electric vehicles can run on the road, why not in the air? The company’s electric plane is designed to beat traffic and reduce congestion with the vertical take off and landing of a helicopter, yet has the potential to cut carbon emissions by up to 84% compared to a fossil-fueled chopper.
Electric planes are already in use for flight training and cargo, and this year Beta was the first company to fly an electric plane at the Paris Air Show and complete a European air tour. The company has also built out a network of charging stations at 46 locations in 22 states. Beta filed for an initial public offering in September after a move by the Federal Aviation Administration to allow electric and other pilot passenger flights to accelerate their testing and deployment. Learn more.
Eef Brouwers, Co-founder, North Sea Farmers
Innovator, building new solutions
North Sea Farmers, co-founded by Brouwers, seeks to prove that seaweed farming can be done at scale. This summer, the organization made its first harvest from North Sea Farm 1, a commercial-scale seaweed farm located among offshore wind turbines off the coast of the Netherlands. In addition to proving the commercial viability of co-locating seaweed and wind farms, the project is conducting research on seaweed’s carbon-sequestering capabilities. It’s a recipient of Amazon’s Right Now Climate Fund.
“I remain hopeful because we’re increasingly able to agree on the right measures globally …” Brouwers said, when asked about the state of climate affairs. “Individuals and organizations are also taking their own actions, but more is needed.” Learn more
Ola Källenius, CEO, Mercedes-Benz Group
Titan, inspiring greater ambition
Mercedes-Benz is the third largest electric vehicle (EV) brand by sales in Europe. With Källenius leading, the company is working to decarbonize its value chain and close the battery recycling loop, while simultaneously coming out with new models for consumers.
When asked what gives him hope, Källenius pointed to humans’ technological progress. “Just look at my home turf, the auto industry,” he said. “The rapid advancement of electric vehicle technology in just the past few years is remarkable. Innovations in battery technology are extending range, accelerating charging times, and cutting costs. EVs are decarbonizing mobility.” Learn more.
Evan Spiegel, Co-founder and CEO, Snap
Titan, inspiring greater ambition
Earlier this year, after Spiegel’s family home in Pacific Palisades, California, was destroyed by the Los Angeles wildfires, the Snap co-founder and CEO moved quickly to co-establish the Department of Angels, a nonprofit that bridges community organizing and policy advocacy to provide a support system for wildfire survivors navigating the rebuilding process.
The organization directly supports a number of community-based organizations like Project Passion, which has built a civic- and direct-aid hub, addressing immediate needs by distributing food and supplies to more than 4,000 residents weekly, while also connecting families to recovery resources and opportunities for civic engagement. Learn more.
Esther Finidori, Chief Sustainability Officer, Schneider Electric
Titan, inspiring greater ambition
Schneider Electric has been named the world’s most sustainable company by TIME and Statista two years in a row. After nearly 10 years with the energy management company, Finidori was named Schneider’s chief sustainability officer this summer.
She’s well on her way in tackling the company’s ambitious carbon reduction goals. Through June 2025, Schneider Electric had saved 700 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) since 2018. At the same time, its suppliers have reduced CO2 emissions by 48%. Learn more.
To develop the TIME100 Climate list, TIME editors vetted names from across the economy, according to the publication. They prioritized recent action and measurable, scalable achievements over commitments and announcements. Read the full list here.
Last year, the list honored executives from six Climate Pledge signatories:
