Earlier this month, we published our 2022 Tracking Progress Report. Compiling the report provides us deep insights into how our community is progressing on their climate commitments. A few highlights:
- On average, 70% of responding companies reported that they are actively implementing climate commitments this year, an increase from 63% last year
- Almost 85% of responding companies said they are considering climate when they design new products
- 75% of responding companies said they are engaged in climate advocacy
- Almost half of responding companies have trained more than 80% of their staff on their climate commitments
- 76% of respondents reported that they are prioritizing emissions reductions over offsets
There continues to be a deep commitment to this work, even as companies navigate the challenges related to the pandemic, transportation related supply chain issues, labor shortages, and inflation. Read the full report to learn more.
It is our role at the Collaborative to create pathways that unlock where companies are getting stuck. To that end, in 2023, we will be leaning into launching several communities of practice, redesigning our Commitment Program, and creating more climate advocacy programs that make it possible for you to engage in climate policy efforts without dedicated staff working on policy.
As we close out the year, I also want to celebrate all that we've accomplished as a community. It's been a busy year! Some of the highlights include:
- Hosting ongoing programming and events, including a full day of programming at Climate Day with 600 attendees, 12 webinars reaching thousands of people, and programming at four other industry events
- Recruiting 77 companies to make net zero commitments via the SME Climate Hub and continue to amplify the importance of north star climate targets via toolkits, programming, and our webinars
- Creating a coalition of more than 35 business organizations with the goal of activating companies, largely SMEs, to sign on to a letter urging Congress to get climate legislation over the finish line. We had more than 1100 businesses signatories! Senator Stabenow referenced the letter in her testimony in support of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)
- Developing and launching a new Tracking Progress Survey accessing climate action including how companies are integrating climate through their entire organization
We look forward to continuing to support the work of this incredible community in 2023!
Wishing you all a happy and healthy holidays with your loved ones.
In collaboration,
Courtney
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Courtney Pineau
Executive Director
Climate Collaborative
RESOURCES |
We're excited to announce the release of our Tracking Progress Report! The Report summarizes the results of the Tracking Progress Survey, an annual assessment of how companies have progressed on the climate action commitments they have made over the course of the previous year (2021). Our hope is that the information gathered and shared will help inform the work of the Collaborative and our broader community as we work together to find and activate solutions to the climate crisis. Read about the progress our community is making here!
Save the Date - Climate Day at Natural Products Expo West
Tuesday, March 7th, 2023
Don't miss out on the best day of the year – inspiring speakers, real-world advice you can use, and the connections you need to make climate action possible. Join industry leaders for inspirational keynotes, executive roundtables, workshops, and more.
Recording - Climate Action Guidance for Business: Disclose - Reporting On Your Progress
View the final webinar in our four-part series informed by UNFI's Climate Action Guide. During this session, we explored why disclosure is critical to ensuring transparency and engagement with your efforts.
Recording - Updates From the Compostable Packaging Landscape: How You Can Align Climate Action With Packaging CommitmentsDon't miss this recording to hear updates and insights into the packaging landscape, with a special focus on compostable packaging. Trayak grounded attendees in the packaging landscape. OSC's Packaging Collaborative informed attendees about the role of LCA's and how they can help inform packaging considerations. Elevate Packaging shared insights from the field, including ways your packaging work can support your company's climate commitments.
Recording - Updates from Three of the Newest Regenerative Ag Certifications
In case you missed the session, check out this recording to hear updates on three of the newest regenerative ag certifications. We heard from the Soil Carbon Initiative (SCI), A Greener World, and Regenified on the development of their programs and how companies from across the supply chain can engage.
PARTNER RESOURCES & INVITES |
Sustainable Foods SummitJanuary 25-26, San Francisco
The Summit will feature regenerative agriculture, upcycled foods, and ingredient innovations. For the first time, the executive summit will discuss approaches to encourage regenerative practices and upcycling in the food industry.
2023 EDFCC Food Waste Fellowship Opportunity
After a successful first year of the Climate Corps Food Waste Fellowship developed by ReFED in partnership with Environmental Defense Fund, we are teaming up again to offer this unique opportunity for companies for a second year!
Companies are encouraged to apply to work with a food waste fellow in 2023. The host application is now open and can be accessed by following this link. While the deadline to apply is February 1st, ReFED encourages you to review the application in advance.
Included below are a couple of helpful links that provide more details about the opportunity:
- Climate Corps Food Waste Fellowship One-Page
- A brief recap of the 2022 EDFCC Food Waste Fellowship and its impact
If you have any questions, please reach out to Angel Veza with any inquires or to discuss potential food waste project ideas.
Green 2.0 Transparency Report Card
For the sixth consecutive year, Green 2.0—an independent 501(c)3 organization working to increase racial and ethnic diversity within the environmental movement—presents the NGO and Foundation Transparency Report Card. This report provides critical data on the diversity found on the staffs and boards of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and foundations. The Climate Collaborative found this process invaluable. We were able to use their survey to benchmark our own work and will use the results to inform our operations.
The White House recently released a guide to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) which, thanks to the advocacy of many of you, was signed into law by President Biden this past summer. The guide provides a program-by-program overview of the Act, including who is eligible to apply for funding and for what purposes. If you are considering clean energy for your business, or even at home, or thinking about investments in low-income communities, this guide gives an overview of grants, loans, and tax incentives that may be available to you.
IN THE NEWS |
Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool
The White House Council on Environmental Quality prepared the map to help implement Justice40, a program President Biden launched to address long-standing social inequalities in environmental protection. The focus of Justice40 is to steer 40% of all climate-related investments to vulnerable communities. The Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool highlights U.S. areas eligible for these priority funds because of longtime struggles with pollution and economic inequality.
Negotiators at a U.N. Biodiversity Conference Reach a Historic Deal to Protect Nature
Negotiators reached a historic deal at a U.N. biodiversity conference that would represent the most significant effort to protect the world's lands and oceans and provide critical financing to save biodiversity in the developing world.
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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