How do you integrate climate change into your business processes?

Integrating climate change into business processes is vital, we prioritize this by: Carbon Footprint Measurement: Regularly assessing our emissions to set reduction goals. Renewable Energy: Transitioning to clean energy sources where feasible. Supply Chain Sustainability: Collaborating with suppliers for eco-friendly practices. Employee Engagement: Raising awareness and involving our team in eco-initiatives. Innovation: Seeking green tech solutions to improve efficiency. Reporting & Transparency: Regularly sharing our progress with stakeholders.

"you only can manage what you can measure" From my own experience, the integration of climate change into business processes starts with measuring CO2e emissions, the corporate carbon footprint. It is advisable to follow the methodology from the GHG Protocol, which differentiates between direct (Scope 1) and indirect emissions (Scope 2 and Scope 3) in order to map the emissions for the entire value chain. In a first step, a rough estimate of the emission categories is sufficient to get a good overview of where the impacts lie. Depending on the materiality, the main emissions categories can then be measured more precisely and the relevant stakeholders can be more closely involved.

Reducing carbon foot print in daily operation of the division. Advocating for climate resilience of basic services provided to children Educating about the centrality of climate action through all aspects of unicef work Amplifying young people’s voices on the climate agenda Influencing political position of member states on climate action

The very first step is to question your business. What is the effect of your work on climate change? Does your work affect climate? Can you make it climate positive or at least neutral? If yes, great, move on. If not, can you change it? If not at all, consider if you're on the right track. You cannot hide serious climate unfriendly business with small climate friendly measures.

Integrating climate change into your business isn't just a corporate responsibility; it can also lead to cost savings, increased competitiveness, and enhanced brand reputation in an increasingly environmentally conscious world. The brief approach could be: 1. Set Clear Objectives: Establish specific, measurable, and time-bound climate-related goals. These could include reducing greenhouse gas emissions, minimizing water usage, or sourcing sustainable materials. 2. Stakeholder Engagement: Engage with a wide range of stakeholders, including customers, investors, NGOs, and government agencies, to gain valuable insights and build partnerships for sustainability.

One thing I have found helpful is to break down the long term goal into yearly milestones. This way you can show a reduction path to the 1.5 degree target, as recommended by the SBTi.

The best way we have found, is to start with the strategic plan and work backwards from there. Designed to incorporate small targets and KPIs all the way down to individual balanced scorecards, ensuring accountability and responsibility across the business.

Taking on climate change? Awesome! ?? The next big move? Crafting a clear vision and ambition. Remember the Paris Agreement? It's all about keeping global warming below 2°C, but hey, aiming for 1.5°C would be even cooler (pun intended ??). Make sure your goals vibe with that! Tools like the SBTi, the Net-Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment, or the RE100 can help. They're like your climate GPS, guiding you to set science-backed targets. Whether you're slashing emissions, powering up with renewables, or boosting resilience, get those goals locked in and let's change the world! ????

To prioritize the multiple initiatives in the action plan, McKinsey's abatement cost curve approach is very helpful. It presents the business cases for all reduction activities in the context of financial costs (or potential savings) in a single graph. I have found the approach particularly helpful in making the right investment decisions.

In addition to listing the relevant actions, I believe it is essential to integrate them into the context of each organisation. For example, for some companies, reducing waste will have very little impact on their emissions. Consequently, the potential reduction (in terms of CO2e emissions) of each action must be estimated. In addition, these actions must also be associated with cost and complexity indicators. In this way, an organisation will be able to concentrate on what is really important, while optimising the resources/effort required. Otherwise, a long, non-contextualised list can be discouraging...

A best practice for developing an action plan to efficiently integrate climate change into your business is to utilize a comprehensive sustainability framework, such as the Sustainability Balanced Scorecard (SBSC). This tool enables you to align your climate initiatives with broader business objectives and prioritize them effectively. Start by conducting a thorough greenhouse gas emissions assessment and climate risk analysis. Identify key performance indicators (KPIs) and sustainability goals. Then, rank these initiatives according to their impact on both your environmental and business objectives. Prioritize those with the highest potential for reducing emissions, improving resource efficiency, and aligning with your corporate mission.

now it's all about creating a concrete action plan to hit those targets you've set. Think about a mix of strategies, okay? Maybe boost your energy efficiency or switch up the fuels you're using for something more eco-friendly. Consider tapping into renewable energy or cutting down on how much waste and water you use. And hey, don't forget about enhancing the ways you capture carbon or making up for any emissions you can't avoid. If you've got products or services, think about how you can make them more planet-friendly. Get everyone in your supply chain on board, and be open about your journey. Make sure you've got enough manpower and funds, decide who does what, and set up ways to keep track of how everything's going. You've got this! ????

On this one to design your action plan on Climate Change ensure you combine two elements: 1. A risk assessment, and 2. An impact assessment. It should be a synergy between the two assessments, and you should also prioritize the risks to address, to ensure effective management of your company limited resources.

I think this part is also key and should not be used exclusively for marketing purposes. There are two main reasons for this: - Communicating with stakeholders will ensure that they are included in the process of reducing the organisation's carbon footprint and may also encourage them to take action. - Making public commitments will "force" the organisation to abide by them more than simple internal monitoring and KPIs.

I suggest distinguishing between communication and measuring, reporting, verification (MRV) tools. Otherwise it might be perceived as greenwashing. Communication is part of both stakeholders' engagement and reporting.

Communication is arguably the most important part of execution. Effective ways we have delivered this so all stakeholders receive and understand the information include, strategy meetings, management meetings and progress meetings.

The Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has mandated Business Responsibility & Sustainability Reporting as a mandatory disclosure for companies operating in India. The BRSR includes important aspects of ESG factors that could affect business and the materiality disclosure under each category. In my opinion, there should be a Universal disclosure mechanism to be adopted by all countries and under for each business category, a common and easy to understand mechanism should be developed. Finally, tons of disclosure meant nothing if credible action are not taken. Hence, Govt. should ensure measurable action against all aspects of materiality.

Once you've crafted your strategy, it's time to let everyone know - both inside and outside of your organization. But remember, one size doesn't fit all. Tailor your message so it resonates with the specific audience you're addressing. And here's a pro tip: use well-known frameworks like GRI, CDP, or TCFD when reporting about your climate deeds. This not only gives your claims authenticity but ensures you're speaking a language many already understand. To further boost your credibility, get external experts to verify your data. And hey, don't be shy! Join platforms and initiatives where you can flaunt your green leadership. It's all about being clear, credible, and committed. ????

The world must learn from India, which brought amendment in its Companies Act and made CSR mandatory for companies of certain categories. The purpose was to contribute to the society and strengthen the 'S' part of ESG and simultaneously contribute to sustainable development.

Indeed, collaboration is key. These are complex issues that require multiple actions and resources, from public and private sectors, and civil society. And collaboration shall work domestically and internationally, leveraging on the advantage of the global era, and the innovations of the 4th Industrial Rev., on this I recommend the reading of the work done by Klaus Schwab from the World Economic Forum.

Think of it like this: you're not in this climate change fight alone. There's a whole community out there - from your business partners and customers, to universities and NGOs, and even the government. By joining forces with them, you can make an even bigger positive impact. Imagine being part of cool groups or alliances where everyone shares ideas, innovates, and pushes for action on climate change together! Plus, it's essential to back policies and rules that push us towards a greener future. After all, it's easier to row the boat in the same direction, right? So, let's collaborate and supercharge our impact! ??????

In my experience as an international human rights lawyer, I agree that cross-functional, non-linear collaborations are essential to determine workable solutions for business. Equally, targeted stakeholder engagement across civil society, public and private sectors, will ensure governments will act faster to enact laws for its citizens. I often been told I do have not enough environmental, scientific, or data analysis skills. One person cannot know everything! Mixed teams in project or advisory teams should include lawyers, climate scientists, engineers and data analysts.

Besides the investment portfolio, companies have an opportunity to support their clients with setting their ESG strategy and help them transform towards a sustainable business model.

As said, measurement is key, and humble and transparent reports are highly useful. I will recommend to add neutral and third parties monitoring to ensure a second independent view of your Climate Change Programs.

The last piece of the puzzle is to regularly revisit and refine your game plan. Think of it as a self-check: How are you doing compared to your own goals and to others in your field? Are you hitting your targets? And are there any potential hiccups or areas where you could be doing better? Gathering feedback from those involved can be super valuable in this process. If there's room for improvement, tackle it head-on! And when you hit those milestones? Celebrate them! Share your progress and insights with everyone involved. Remember, it's all about continuous growth and learning. ??????

Companies should first and foremost put nature (at least the natural ecosystem of influence that it is within) at the centre of its business strategy (alongside its incumbent attention to the customer). Once that is accomplished, the leadership should propagate this mindset shift with such dual-focus (nature, customer) across its value chain (upstream, core, downstream). This would allow businesses to include nature as a primary stakeholder in its strategy and operations. This should precede the six steps listed in this article and will make it easier for businesses to envision & implement and make it more impactful for all its stakeholders (including co-benefits for its employees).

To integrate climate change into business processes, businesses must first ensure its leadership team and employees are 'climate fluent'. Once businesses have a good understanding of climate change, they can begin to identify and assess the risks and opportunities that it poses to their business. This includes considering the potential impacts on their operations, costs, and revenues; upstream suppliers, business partners, and downstream customers; employees and communities; and the laws and regulations under which they operate. Integrating climate change into business processes is an ongoing process. As businesses learn more about climate change and its impacts, they may need to adjust their plans accordingly. Speed is of essence!

As your company plans its approach to climate change risks and opportunities, keep the following tips in mind! 1. Don’t wait. The climate is changing, and the world’s response is shifting quickly. 2. Think about interconnections. 3. Push for sectoral collaboration on pre-competitive issues 4. Learn from the leaders 5. Build adaption into existing business processes 6. Involve employees 7. Support those who are disadvantaged by changes 8. Expect uncertainty 9. Include mitigation (emissions reduction) in your adaptation strategy 10. Report on your adaptation efforts