Happy (almost) New Year! Like every year, 2023 has had its share of wins and losses, or as we say in our household, roses and thorns. On an organizational level, we've experienced significant growth in our programs and offerings and have formed many new partnerships—a true rose. We are already exploring ways to expand our pre-competitive collaborations in 2024.
Our recent Tracking Progress Report makes it clear that while companies understand the importance of reducing their climate impacts, they are often under-resourced when it comes to achieving their set targets—a thorn in our collective work. We believe that through pre-competitive collaboration, companies can partner to effectively navigate the complexities of climate work.
As COP28 demonstrated, we must move from promises to performance, and we can't get there if we continue to fund the very activities that are leading to climate change while under-resourcing the development of the infrastructure and support mechanisms needed to transition away from an inherently extractive economy. As they say, talk is cheap, and as we head into an election year, it is going to be so critical that we keep climate front and center as a critical issue.
We are so thankful to the community of organizations and leaders that went to COP28 to bring voice to the need to protect and support those most impacted by climate change, to end the burning of fossil fuels, and to continue to build a food system in alignment with the flourishing of our planet. One of the biggest roses in this work are the incredible people working tirelessly, often behind the scenes, in support of the climate.
As we close out the year, I want to reiterate our commitment to our mission of activating climate action in the grocery industry and acknowledge the hard work and dedication of each member of this community. Let us carry this momentum into the new year with unwavering focus and a shared vision of a healthy, just, and regenerative future. Together, we'll celebrate our successes ('roses') and tackle our challenges ('thorns') with determination. And perhaps we can take a page from the book of my 8-year-old, who wisely observes that most thorns are merely weeds — a bit troublesome, maybe, yet often hiding a benefit just waiting to be discovered.
Wishing you a year filled with inspiration, collaboration, and meaningful progress on your climate commitments.
Warmest regards,
Courtney
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Courtney Pineau
Executive Director
Climate Collaborative
RESOURCES |
Webinar Recording: Accelerating Your Regenerative Transition Through Alternative Funding Sources
This December we hosted an energizing conversation focused on alternative funding sources and their pivotal role in accelerating the regenerative transition. We heard from Pacha Soap, J-Palm Liberia, and Silvan Ingredient Ecosystem, pioneers in tapping into the potential of alternative funding sources to support regenerative agriculture.
2023 Annual Tracking Progress Report
This month we launched the Climate Collaborative's Tracking Progress 2023 Annual Report! The report summarizes the results of our annual assessment of how companies have made progress on their climate action commitments over the previous year (2022). Check out our report to see how companies are progressing against their commitments!
Webinar Invite: Monitoring the Impacts of Your Regenerative Sourcing Initiative
January 17th, 2024; 1 PM EST // 12 PM CST // 11 AM MST // 10 AM PST
Save the date for our first virtual session of 2024 to hear from Terra- Genesis, Oatly, and VF Corporation as we explore considerations for companies interested in measuring the impact of their regenerative agricultural interventions.
Save the Date: Climate Day 2024!
March 12th, 2024; Anaheim, CA
Every year Climate Day kicks off Expo West in Anaheim, CA. This event brings together over 600 attendees from the grocery industry. Don't miss out! This year's program will cover critical topics in climate communications, ESG, regenerative agriculture, consumer engagement, and so much more! There will also be some new projects revealed and opportunities to learn more and engage in a number of partnerships.
Two New Accelerators Launching in 2024! The Retailer Climate Action Accelerator & The Climate Communications Accelerator
With 2024 right around the corner, we're thrilled to unveil not one, but two brand-new accelerators to meet the needs of our community. Use the links below to be kept in the loop on these accelerators and to help inform our design.
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Retailer Climate Action Accelerator: In response to numerous requests from our community, we are launching an accelerator designed for the unique needs of grocery retailers. We'll address key climate issues in the retail sector, such as packaging, food waste, refrigerants, energy, consumer engagement, and more. Unlike webinars, these sessions will be hands-on, providing ample time to work through the questions and challenges you are facing in your work.
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The Climate Communications Accelerator: From labels to romance copy, this accelerator will support your organization in articulating your climate story in a way that is authentic, defensible, and resonates with shoppers. Let us help you bridge the gap between your measurement, reporting, verification (MRV) efforts and communications.
What is an accelerator? In the context of the Climate Collaborative’s work, an accelerator is a program designed to tangibly expedite your climate work. These programs will last several months and will connect you with a network of peers, industry experts, and resources in a multidimensional format where you will build solutions to your thorniest issues.
Service Provider Membership
The Climate Collaborative recognizes the pivotal role service providers play within climate work, particularly in facilitating accelerated climate action for grocery CPGs and retailers. Our service provider partners offer deep sector knowledge and operational capabilities, enabling businesses to implement effective and efficient climate strategies, ultimately optimizing supply chains, reducing costs, and minimizing environmental impact. By bridging knowledge gaps and providing actionable insights, service providers are instrumental in ensuring that businesses stay at the forefront of sustainability efforts and achieve measurable results.
PARTNER RESOURCES |
Sustainable Foods Summit
January 24 - 25, 2024; San Francisco, CA
The Sustainable Foods Summit will discuss approaches to move to circularity in the food industry. The North American edition will feature the role of regenerative agriculture, nature-positive methods and upcycling in the move to circular systems.
GreenBiz 24
February 12 - 14, 2024; Phoenix, AZ
Elevate your company’s sustainability efforts by participating in GreenBiz 24, the premier event for sustainable business leaders seeking hands-on, tangible solutions. Join this growing community of more than 2,500 professionals to gain fresh insights from peers, trailblazers and unexpected voices in decarbonization, supply chains, biodiversity and much more – so you can continue to accelerate your impact and your career.
reNourish Studio Zoom Summit: Your Business' Potential Role in Evolving Our Food System
February 23rd, 2024; 1 pm EST // 12 PM CST / 11 AM MST // 10 AM PST
The purpose of this reNourish Studio Zoom Summit is to experience regeneration as a developmental process with serious potential impacts on your business and the food system of which your business is a part. This Summit is a unique opportunity to collaborate with peers and active cohort members, moving beyond traditional business models to integrate regeneration directly into our food systems growth.
2023 NGO & Foundation Transparency Report Card
For seven years, the Green 2.0 Transparency Report Cards has been a key way to hold environmental organizations accountable for their commitments to DEIJ efforts. After the murder of George Floyd and calls for racial and social justice in 2020, many sector organizations publicly committed to centering racial equity in internal staffing, organizational policies, and external programming. Three years later, this report serves as a key mechanism to hold organizations accountable for those promises.
IN THE NEWS |
Business Leaders Celebrate Tough New EPA Standards on Methane Emissions
Earlier this month, businesses across the United States celebrated the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) announcement that it is adopting stronger rules against methane emissions. These rules include strengthening standards for leak detection and repair, expanding regulations for inspection of closed wells, and creating programs for third-party monitoring of super emitters. Many thanks to many of your for signing on to support the stronger rules!
Food is Finally On the Table: COP28 Addressed Agriculture in a Real Way
Food systems—what we eat; how we grow, ship and cook it; and how we dispose of (and sometimes waste) it - are responsible for roughly a third of global greenhouse gas emissions. But for the better part of three decades, the final agreements that emerge from the UN's yearly climate summits have left out the impact food systems have on our climate. That changed this year in Dubai.
Four Takeaways From the COP28 Climate Summit
It took 28 years of climate negotiations for world leaders to agree to wean the global economy from the principal source of climate change: the burning of fossil fuels. It happened at the tail end of the hottest year on record. The talks were led by an oil company executive, in a desert kingdom built on oil. Why does it matter? And what does it say about a world in war, hunger and turmoil?
Share Your Good News With Us!
In this new section of our newsletter, we want to share out climate-related progress, announcements, and good news from our community in action. Send us an email at [email protected] to contribute to next month's section.
COMMIT TO CLIMATE ACTION |
If you haven't already made a commitment to Climate Action please visit the Climate Collaborative website and check out the nine areas in which your company can make a commitment to bold climate action.
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