Strategies for Climate Action and Advocacy

From coal to clean energy—Ørsted’s surprising shift… Their transformation could inspire your own business to take action on climate change: Climate change is a pressing issue that businesses worldwide are addressing with powerful actions. But how are companies actually leading this change? Let’s look at Ørsted, once one of Europe’s most coal-intensive energy companies. Today, it’s transformed into a global leader in renewable energy. How? By turning its focus to offshore wind farms, solar energy, and investing in green tech. Ørsted’s story proves that any business—no matter its size or sector—can pivot for the planet. Here are some impactful steps Ørsted took to become an example in climate action: 1. Phase Out Fossil Fuels: Ørsted made a decisive shift from fossil fuels, targeting full coal phase-out by 2023 and investing heavily in wind and solar power. This aggressive approach helped Ørsted cut carbon emissions by over 80% since 2006. 2. Innovate in Green Technology: Investing in offshore wind farms, Ørsted is leading the charge in wind energy, helping countries reduce reliance on traditional power sources. The company now produces enough green energy to power millions of homes annually. 3. Commit to Science-Based Targets: Ørsted sets ambitious, science-backed targets for emission reduction. Through these measures, it aims to be net-zero by 2040, showing that big goals drive significant change. The Impact? Ørsted is now ranked one of the world’s most sustainable companies. Its journey highlights how action and accountability can change a business’s environmental footprint—and inspire others to follow. For any business looking to make a difference, Ørsted’s journey is a reminder. It’s never too late to pivot, adapt, and commit to climate action. If Ørsted can do it, what’s stopping other companies? With purpose and impact, Mario

"For many companies, employee engagement means individual actions: planting trees; recycling; even making green-friendly 401(k) investments. This is all valuable, of course, but these individual actions, even taken together, do not begin to address the scale and urgency of the climate crisis. To achieve a 50% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030, we need the strongest federal, state and local public policy possible to drive change at the speed and scale required. Companies and their employees can lead this much-needed charge, calling for strong climate policy leadership and making public statements in support of local and federal climate policy solutions." Check out this great piece on the role employees can play in advocating for pro climate policies with their employer, via ClimateVoice and GreenBiz Group. And if you're interested in taking action at your company, check out ClimateVoice’s new Climate Action at Work employee toolkit (link in first comment.) Here are four steps you can take to ensure your company's lobbying and policy positions match their sustainability commitments: 1. Get the facts: Understand your company’s stance on climate.  2. Find your influence: Take advantage of your insider access to connect with colleagues who are key influencers and decision-makers (government affairs teams); map your connections and define the case for change. 3. Engage your co-workers: Host climate-advocacy events or start a working or employee resource group. 4. Advocate for action: Craft an effective action proposal, draft an advocacy letter, make the pitch and set goals on specific outcomes desired. Get clear on each next step and take each action one step at a time. #employeeengagement #employeeadvocacy #climateaction #climatechange #climatecrisis #employeeorganizing

I'm excited to share the launch of "Bold Measures to Close the Climate Action Gap," the latest report from Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and the World Economic Forum Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders. https://lnkd.in/e8MCFKAm    We see businesses doing more to tackle climate change, but collectively, the world is moving way too slowly. This new report focused on opportunities for companies and governments to translate their individual actions into more substantial global progress. The bottom line is that our individual efforts must be more geared to driving systemic change. The report highlights five ways for companies to do this, including: 1. Accelerate supplier decarbonization. In many companies, suppliers’ emissions are 3x to 8x their own Scope 1&2. Cutting the first 50% of many products’ supply chain emissions can be achieved with an end-price impact under 1% 2. Enable customers to make greener choices. Product redesign, circularity, reducing customers’ energy consumption can substantially lower the emissions footprint of many products. 3. Drive change with peers in your sector, especially in supply chain ‘pinch points’: Ten players or less control more than 40% of many key markets; clearer product labeling is another great area of opportunity 4. Engage in cross-industry partnerships, especially large-scale buying groups, to mobilize capital and accelerate development and scaling of advanced technologies 5. Advocate and support bolder policies. First, make sure you and your lobbying partners are not harming climate progress in your government engagements. Then, look for opportunities to go further to be an effective partner to governments to encourage bold and pragmatic changes in incentives, policies, and reporting. The report is filled with real life examples of what companies are doing today in each of these areas. Thanks to Pim Valdre and Pedro G Gomez Pensado from WEF and my colleagues Dr. Patrick Herhold, Jens Burchardt, Cornelius Pieper, Edmond Rhys Jones, Trine Filtenborg de Nully, Galaad Préau and Natalia Mrówczyńska for leading the work on this important report. And to my Alliance co-chairs, Jesper Brodin, Christian Mumenthaler, Ester Baiget, and Feike Sijbesma for your continued leadership.

Did you know that the world's largest banks have funneled over a trillion dollars into fossil fuels? ➤ In recent years, the biggest banks—including those many of us trust with our savings—have invested heavily in coal power plants and fossil fuel facilities. These investments raise a crucial question: How do these fossil fuel companies secure the funding for their projects? The answer lies with the banks, and ultimately, with us—the customers. ➤ Every time we deposit money into these banks, we unknowingly become part of the financial pipeline that fuels climate change. But here's the empowering truth: as customers, we are also stakeholders. We have a voice, and together, we can push for change. ➤ How can we create change? 📌 Collective Action: Start by reaching out. Call or write to your bank, beginning with the branch manager and escalating up the ladder. 📌 Power in Numbers: If a handful of us speak up, we might be ignored. But if thousands join in, banks will take notice. 📌 Demand Sustainable Investments: By expressing our desire for investments in renewable energy, we can shift the focus from fossil fuels to sustainable alternatives. → This isn't just about being a customer; it's about being active participants in shaping a more sustainable future. By coordinating our actions and using our voices, we can influence these financial giants to redirect their investments toward clean energy solutions. 💬 What steps can we take collectively to ensure our banks invest in a sustainable future? → Share your thoughts and let's drive meaningful change together! ♻ Repost to raise awareness about #Sustainability and #ClimateChange #SustainableFinance #FossilFuels #Banking #ClimateAction #CollectiveImpact #RenewableEnergy