Everyone at Earthx2026 already cares about the planet. The problem isn’t awareness anymore—it’s alignment.

We don’t just have a technology or policy gap. We have an identity gap between who leaders say they are (“sustainable, responsible, future-focused”) and what actually gets reinforced in behavior, culture, and incentives.

In this session, TEDx speaker and creator of The HERO Factor™, Cory “Kxng” Charles, unpacks how identity, beliefs, and daily habits quietly govern whether sustainability efforts stall out as slide decks—or become the new operating system of an organization.

Drawing from leadership, behavioral psychology, and real-world change work, Cory shows how leaders across sectors can move from:

Performative statements to embodied values
Short-term pressures to long-term stewardship
“Sustainability as a side initiative” to sustainability as a core identity
Attendees will leave with a simple, memorable framework for aligning who they are as leaders with the future they’re trying to build—so climate, conservation, and sustainable finance work doesn’t depend on heroic willpower alone, but on a HERO-level culture by design.

This talk is designed for cross-sector leaders who know the stakes are high and want tools that go beyond inspiration—into how to lead people through hard tradeoffs, resistance, and real change.