Nearly two years ago, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) was passed, marking a significant milestone in our collective climate efforts. It's inspiring to see the progress that has been made since then. For instance, did you know that since the IRA was enacted, companies have announced $372 billion in clean energy investments? The Biden administration’s clean energy plan has driven 646 clean energy projects and created more than 334,500 jobs in nearly every state in the country. This progress demonstrates that with the right resources and aligned efforts, real change is possible.
That’s why it’s so important for all of us to work together over the next few months to help get out the vote. In support of this, we're collaborating with our friends at Modern Species to develop a campaign that we’ll be sharing in September to help you connect with your community of shoppers, eaters, and stakeholders to get out the vote. Please consider supporting this effort—every contribution makes a difference. All contributors will be acknowledged as underwriters.
Additionally, I want to highlight two other emerging opportunities:
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Community of Practice—Cohort 2 Registration Now Open: If you’re seeking support to navigate the complexities of your regenerative supply chain transition, this group provides the frameworks, community, and subject matter experts to advance this critical work forward. Learn more and register here.
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Climate Day Session Submissions: The deadline for submitting your Climate Day ideas is approaching. Don’t delay—planning begins in earnest in September.
I hope to see many of you at Newtopia next week!
In collaboration,
Courtney Pineau
Executive Director
Climate Collaborative
CLIMATE COLLABORATIVE EVENTS |
Session Recording: Engaging in Policy & Advocacy to Energize Staff & Mobilize Customers for Climate Action
Don't miss this recording to hear from InCommon Group and Dr. Bronner's about how your company can engage in policy and advocacy efforts.
InCommon Group emphasized the importance of advocacy for retailers and shared insights from their experience in building cross-sector coalitions. Dr. Bronner's highlighted their successful strategies for engaging in policy and advocacy, both internally with staff and externally with stakeholders.
Session Recording: Retail's Role in Reducing Food Waste - Practical Solutions and Success Stories
Curious about the impact of food waste in retail? Watch this recording featuring insights from ReFED and Kimberton Whole Foods as they explore key opportunities for reducing food waste and share valuable tools and resources for retailers.
ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES |
Regenerative Transition Community of Practice
Registration is now open for the second cohort of our Regenerative Transition Community of Practice (CoP)! This learning community provides three critical elements to support your regenerative transition work:
- A network of industry peers to learn from and collaborate with
- Insights and dialogues with industry thought leaders and service providers
- Hands-on access to tools and frameworks to inform your work now and in the future
We extend our deep gratitude to the UNFI Foundation for their support in making the Community of Practice a reality!
- Interested in learning more? Join one of our upcoming 1-hour informational sessions.
- Complete a program interest form to have a 1:1 call with our team.
- Visit our website to learn more!
2024 Tracking Progress Update
Once a year, the Climate Collaborative asks companies to provide a report on the progress they have made with their Climate Commitments over the past year. This survey is a vital way to maintain accountability in our program, assess the climate progress of the food industry, and determine how we can best support your work. More importantly, it serves as a tool for you to evaluate your organization's climate action initiatives. Please reach out if you have any questions!
Climate Day Submissions
The Climate Collaborative team is in the early planning stages for Climate Day 2025 on Tuesday, March 4th. Building on last year's success we're seeking your ideas for keynotes, panels, roundtables, and more!
Do you have a case study to share? Who do you look to as a leader in the climate space? Do you want us to cover a specific topic? Which company is doing amazing work engaging their suppliers on climate? Let us know and we may feature your proposed topic or speaker(s) on stage in Anaheim!
Can You Take Our Two Minute Survey on Challenges Related to Sustainability Reporting?
In partnership with Sensiba LLP, the Climate Collaborative is interested in understanding the challenges CPGs face due to the varying sustainability reporting requirements of retailers and distributors, as well as the impact these different reporting approaches have on retailers and distributors.
We would be deeply grateful if you would take 2 minutes to answer a four-question survey to help us understand the challenges and inform how we might support a solution.
WHAT WE ARE LISTENING TO |
Why isn't the climate movement voting?
"Millions of people say they care deeply about climate change...yet they're not showing up at elections to turn their concern into political power," says environmental voting advocate Nathaniel Stinnett. He explains why increasing voter participation is essential to advancing the climate movement and shows how his team is mobilizing millions of new environmental voters — without talking about climate change at all.
"Millions of people say they care deeply about climate change...yet they're not showing up at elections to turn their concern into political power," says environmental voting advocate Nathaniel Stinnett. He explains why increasing voter participation is essential to advancing the climate movement and shows how his team is mobilizing millions of new environmental voters — without talking about climate change at all.
PARTNER EVENTS & RESOURCES |
Climate Power: Two Years of the Biden-Harris Clean Energy Boom
Climate Power's latest clean energy boom report shows that in just two years since the passage of the clean energy plan, the law has helped create over 334,565 new jobs and sparked $372 billion in new investments in 47 states and Puerto Rico.
Climate Power'sUpcycled Food Association: The RoundUP
Are you interested in learning more about the Upcycled Food Association? Check out their quarterly newsletter for updates and insights from their members and community!
Are you interested in learning more about the Join the Climate Collaborative at Newtopia Now!
Cultivating Change: Retail Practices for Supporting Sustainable Brands & Agriculture
August 26th; 2:30 - 3:30 PM MT
Learn more about the best practices for promoting sustainable agriculture and informing customers about these practices. This engaging session will focus on sustainable retail practices, advocating for partnerships with brands that support regenerative agriculture and sustainable packaging, and how these practices can resonate with customers.
Gain valuable insights into how to translate these practices into clear messaging that resonates with your customers and moves mission-aligned products off your store shelves. Discover the leading retail initiatives focused on fostering a more sustainable food system—and learn how to apply these practices to your store.
Partner Event: Renewable Energy Markets™ 2024
September 16 - 18th; Denver, CO
The annual Renewable Energy Markets™ (REM™) conference convenes a broad spectrum of industry professionals who are rapidly transforming the global clean energy marketplace. For over 25 years, REM™ has remained the leading conference for promoting and accelerating the clean energy economy.
The annual REM™ brings corporate leaders, policymakers, and suppliers together to collaborate and guide the rapidly expanding market. Attendees explore emerging trends in policy, exchange best practices in renewable energy procurement and marketing, review the latest technology and market innovations, and help shape the future of renewable energy.
Partner Event: Climate Week NYC
September 22 - 29th; New York City, NY
Climate Week NYC is the largest annual climate event of its kind, bringing together over 600 events and activities across New York City – in-person, hybrid, and online. Each year, business leaders, political change makers, local decision makers, and civil society representatives of all ages and backgrounds from all over the world gather to drive the transition, speed up progress, and champion change that is already happening.
Climate Week NYC is the largest annual climate event of its kind, bringing together over 600 events and activities across New York City – in-person, hybrid, and online. Each year, business leaders, political change makers, local decision makers, and civil society representatives of all ages and backgrounds from all over the world gather to drive the transition, speed up progress, and champion change that is already happening.
SERVICE PROVIDER UPDATES |
Upcoming Offerings from reNourish Studio
Upcoming Offerings from reNourish StudioDo you feel the drive for profit in your business leads to extraction, conflicting with your goals for climate, sustainability, and a thriving food system?
If so, we invite you to join reNourish Studio alongside the Climate Collaborative. reNourish offers a supportive environment and developmental process that helps businesses transform and increase profitability while regenerating systems instead of extracting from them.
Upcoming offerings on Zoom include Open Sessions and an Introduction to Business Evolution Course. For a deeper experience, reNourish is opening up the kickoff gathering for their next 3-year cohort. Interested community members can get an intimate look at what it's like to work and play in the studio.
- Learn more about the cohort here
- If you would like to join the Hudson Valley gathering in September - no strings attached - you can email their team for more information
Build Capacity through Strategic Communications
Kara Leibowitz is an independent consultant who helps nonprofit organizations communicate about their work (including the Climate Collaborative). Kara helps translate regenerative plans into successful proposals, including public-private partnerships with a wide variety of food and climate leaders. She believes that healthy soil will be crucial to transforming the food system from a climate problem into a climate solution -- one that not only sequesters carbon, but also protects people and ecosystems in the face of climate disaster.
Kara is available to write materials in your organization's voice for strategic purposes, such as fundraising, impact reporting, position papers, OpEds, and more. Get in touch through Kara's website or LinkedIn.
IN THE NEWS |
Food As You Know It Is About to Change
From the vantage of the American supermarket aisle, the modern food system looks like a kind of miracle. But the supermarket is also increasingly a diorama of the fragility of a system — disrupted in recent years by the pandemic, conflict and, increasingly, climate change.
The 'Sustainability Recession' Will End Soon—And Not By Choice
Corporate sustainability is struggling. We're in what my colleague and sustainability thought leader John Elkington calls a "sustainability recession." I think of it as a malaise, and it feels like moving through molasses.
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.
