Chaos in the form of tariffs, massive cuts in government, and other disruptions continue to upend the economic system. The challenges facing business aren’t getting any easier to parse.

Steven Rattner’s essay in the NYT, shares insight into how Wall Street execs and investors, both Republicans and Democrats, view the new administration.The reaction of readers offers a window into public sentiment about business in this moment.

Within 24 hours, there were 3,820 comments on Rattner’s piece, many castigating business leaders for their short-sightedness and greed. This one from “Ken in Portland” sums up the dark mood:

“If I needed more evidence to believe that American business leaders were only interested in enriching themselves in the short term and don’t care about democracy or the well-being of the bottom 99.9%, this piece would probably convince me. I didn’t need any more evidence though.”

Edelman’s recent report on Trust and grievance finds that young people have already lost confidence in the system that created America’s wealth. That wealth divides us, as does the rush to cash in on crypto and AI, layoff workers, and protect private gains or reduce taxes at the expense of the commons.

Concerns about over-regulation and bureaucracy can also be valid, but fair or not, the critique of business is growing, and the call for executives to stand up to the chaos is gaining ground.

It’s important to remember that business itself is not moral or immoral, bad or good. Individual leaders and managers make decisions with good or bad consequences. And outside critics aren’t the only ones pushing for better business decisions.

What can those who work inside corporations and who remain committed to building and investing in sustainable business models lean on in this moment? How do they stay focused on the road ahead?

In this piece, Eli Malinsky shares insights from intrapreneurs on the changing landscape of corporate impact. Aspen Fellow and climate investor Kevin Teng puts it plainly:

“For those of us in it for the long haul, sustainability has always been a battle—for relevance, attention, and resources. But as we’ve seen in past cycles, companies with sustainability at their core will naturally lean in and capitalize on the current environment.”

Resilience is about adapting to current circumstances while staying true to core principles. If we turn down the noise and hustle from the Street and consider the long game, what still makes sense? What can executives rely on? Here are three core principles that stand the test of time:

What Is Still True

1. There’s clear competitive advantage in ecologically sound business models

Innovative design that respects natural systems, and conserves and replenishes resources, creates competitive advantage over the long term. It’s about efficiency and quality—and yes, resilience.

That doesn’t mean it’s easy. Business-to-business (B2B) enterprises building long term capability may weather volatility better than consumer-facing brands up against fleeting consumer trends. But that doesn’t they take sustainable design for granted. Executives need to actively monitor the gap between corporate intentions and execution, and ensure long-term investment in what matter most.

What else is still true when “move fast and break things” gets in the way of common sense?

2. Intangible Assets Drive Enterprise Value

In today’s economy, a company’s value is defined mostly by intangibles—reputation, talent, and license to operate—rather than hard assets.

A stark example of failure to secure the license to operate hails from 2008 and the plan to refinance the Texas utility, TXU. It became the largest leveraged buyout recorded at the time. But Wall Street investors drawn to high returns ignored fundamental environmental risks. Climate concerns about coal and cheaper sources of natural gas eventually overwhelmed market expectations. TXU’s failure to secure public trust led to its collapse.

Public concern about climate change isn’t going away. Traditional financial metrics fail to capture what truly sustains the business: culture, trust, and integrity. In 2016, Kate Ruff and Sara Olsen wrote that the old rules of valuation can “ask the wrong questions, measure the wrong things, and miss the real impact.”

What is still true? When companies ignore trust, integrity, or fail to align execution and purpose or commitments, they risk irreparable damage. “License to operate” is a tough thing to measure, but critical to understand. When trust is squandered, it can blow a gaping hole in the spreadsheet.

3. Employees Are the Glue Holding Enterprises Together

Employees expect companies to honor foundational values. They care about equity, fairness, and meaningful work.

In a climate of layoffs, uncertainty, and fear, workers are not as likely to be heard from. That doesn’t mean they are truly silent. Employees want to know that their work matters. They are focused on the long-term health of the company, not just its short-term gains.

Leaders who value diversity, invest in relationships, and build teams with a clear purpose will deliver better results—in customer service, security of the supply chain and in building innovative companies that stand the test of time.

The daily battle for relevance, attention and resources continues. Employees are the glue—the “stakeholder” that matters most and will unlock competitive advantage.

The Real Stakes: Who is Business For?

The question isn’t whether corporate leaders will be held accountable. It’s who they will be accountable to.

Employees are looking for signals that the values of the enterprise and commitments to the workforce, host communities, and the planet will be honored. The solution space requires executives to innovate and collaborate to address real world problems, and to keep the focus on long-term value creation.

The call to leaders to keep the health of the commons in focus is real. The path forward is strewn with competing demands. Maggie Schear at BrightHouse calls the skill needed in this moment, “courage in context”—listening for what has changed, while holding on to what matters most.

This blog post was originally published on LinkedIn. Follow Judy Samuelson for more insights on business and society.