Happy summer! While we are only midway through the year, we are already actively designing our programs for next year. 2025 is a pivotal year for the climate community, offering a chance for all of us to reassess our progress toward our 2030 goals. We need to push ourselves, our companies, and our government to be more assertive in our climate targets and actions. In alignment with this, I was thrilled to learn about the recent launch this week of Mission 2025, a coalition urging governments to align their national climate plans with the Paris Agreement's target of limiting global warming to 1.5°C. As one of my personal climate heroes, Christiana Figueres, said, "The launch of Mission 2025 today is a clear rebuttal to everyone claiming that moving faster on tackling the climate crisis is too difficult, too unpopular, or too expensive."
At the Climate Collaborative, we firmly believe that we can go further and faster together. To that end, it is the time of year when we assess the progress and needs of our community. If you have made a Commitment through the Climate Collaborative, I am excited to invite you to participate in our annual Tracking Progress Survey. This survey is essential for gathering data on how companies are advancing their climate action commitments. Your insights are critical in helping us design our strategies to better support you in achieving your climate goals. You can read last year's report here.
For those of you who have not made a Commitment through the Climate Collaborative, we would love to hear from you as well. We have a simple three-question survey (less than one minute!) for you to fill out to help inform our programs and services.
Thank you for your commitment to climate action and for taking the time to share your experiences.
In collaboration,
Courtney
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Courtney Pineau
Executive Director
Climate Collaborative
CLIMATE COLLABORATIVE EVENTS |
Upcoming Webinar: Aligning Retailer Purchasing Standards with Climate Goals
July 8th, 2024; 1 pm ET // 12 PM CT // 11 AM MT // 10 AM PT
In the third session of our eight-part Retailer Climate Action Education series, we will focus on essential data insights that retailers need to understand the current consumer purchasing habits. We will also provide tools and resources to inform retailer purchasing decisions and policies, and share case studies demonstrating how merchandising can be aligned with the store's values to support customer retention, maintain a strong bottom line, and achieve climate goals.
In the third session of our eight-part Retailer Climate Action Education series, we will focus on essential data insights that retailers need to understand the current consumer purchasing habits. We will also provide tools and resources to inform retailer purchasing decisions and policies, and share case studies demonstrating how merchandising can be aligned with the store's values to support customer retention, maintain a strong bottom line, and achieve climate goals. This will be an interactive webinar, so please bring your questions! You will hear from:
- Shelley Sapsin, VP of Market Integrity, Informa Markets
- Sherry Frey, Vice President of Total Wellness, NIQ
- Steven Jamieson, Health and Body Care Merchandiser, PCC Community Markets
Our deep thanks to Dr. Bronner's and Planet FWD for supporting this work!
Upcoming Session: Operationalizing Your Climate Action Roadmap - Communications & Disclosure
July 11th, 2024; 1 pm ET // 12 PM CT // 11 AM MT // 10 AM PT
Join us for the final session in our five-part series as we focus on communications and disclosure. This session will help you navigate telling the story of your climate action in an authentic and compelling way, while also ensuring that it is legally defensible and aligned with the regulatory environment in the US and abroad. You will gain clarity on:
- Key considerations for communications, including consumer insights, aligning with the FTC’s Green Guides, and the Green Claims Directive in the EU
- How data can create a foundation for communications to ensure they are meaningful and legally defensible
- Avenues leading companies are taking to communicate their regenerative agriculture and climate work
- What is emerging in the regulatory landscape in the US and EU
This will be an interactive webinar, so please bring your questions! You will hear from:
- Brita Lundberg, Communications Manager, Lundberg Family Farms
- Ethan Soloviev, Chief Innovation Officer, HowGood
- Julien Gervreau, Director, Sustainability Implementation & Climate Action Planning, Sensiba
Session Recording: Product Design & Considerations
Don't miss the recording of the second session in our five-part series with UNFI focused on helping deepen your understanding of how to align your product design (formulation, packaging, assortment) with your climate commitments. We heard case studies from leading experts on how companies are integrating circularity and nature-positive outcomes into their product design approach.
Session speakers included:
- Cheryl Baldwin, Pure Strategies
- Michelle Nadboy, The Hain Celestial Group
- Michelle Tulac, Ellen MacArthur Foundation
View the recording and download the slides
Session Recording: Navigating the Cool Transition - Reducing the Climate Impacts of Refrigerants
Explore the recording of the second session in our eight-part Retailer Climate Action Education Series, which focuses on reducing the climate impact of refrigerants. The session includes updates on regulatory changes and industry trends from the North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council. Additionally, BriarPatch Food Coop and Jimbo's Natural Foods Grocer share their insights and best practices.
Session speakers included:
- Andy Ryan, Facilities Manager, Jimbo's Natural Foods Grocer
- Danielle Wright, Executive Director, North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council
- Lauren Scott, Sustainability Coordinator, BriarPatch Food Co-op
View the recording and download the slides
Session Recording: Tackling Scopes 1 & 2
Don't miss the recording of the third session in our five-part series with UNFI. In this session, attendees heard how companies are tackling Scopes 1 & 2, including:
- Navigating a shift to renewable energy when you don’t own your facilities
- Incentives and opportunities to reduce freight emissions
- How employee engagement can be a critical lever in revealing emissions reductions opportunities
- How service providers and certifications, like Science Based Targets, can inform a strategic approach to Scopes 1 & 2 emissions reductions
- The most common pitfalls in this work and how you can avoid them
Session speakers included:
- Annie Rowell, Environmental Sustainability Manager, King Arthur Baking Company
- Kayalin Akens-Irby, Head of Growth, Planet FWD
- Nate Lapides, Climate Program Manager, UNFi
View the recording and download the slides
ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES |
2024 Tracking Progress Update
Once a year, the Climate Collaborative asks companies to provide us with 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. We sent out the survey last week; please reach out if you have any questions!
- Check out last year's Tracking Progress Report!
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 different sustainability reporting requirements of retailers and distributors, and conversely the impacts that 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 to inform how we might be able to support a solution.
Underwriting Opportunities Available for Climate Communications & Disclosure Education Series
Starting this September, we are excited to launch our four-month Climate Communications & Disclosure Education series. This program is designed for businesses looking to enhance their climate communication and engagement strategies. Over the course of four 90-minute sessions, attendees will learn how to create communications that resonate with consumers, are legally defensible, and align with the shifting regulatory landscape.
We have found that these underwriting opportunities are very high visibility. Please reach out if you're interested in learning more!
WHAT WE ARE LISTENING TO |
Wealth in the 21st Century: An Economy Indexed on Nature
We enjoyed this insightful TED talk by Professor Martin R. Stuchtey, Founder and CEO of The Landbanking Group. His presentation delves into the root cause of the ecological and social downward spiral that societies face: a model of wealth creation heavily reliant on the extraction of natural resources. As an alternative, he introduces "Nature Equity," an innovative asset class enabled by modern advancements in nature and financial technology.
PARTNER EVENTS & RESOURCES |
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 for renewable energy.
IN THE NEWS |
Simple Mills: People & Planet Impact Journal
The Simple Mills Team reports: "The 2023 journal marks an exciting milestone: the launch of our Mission Strategic Plan and the ambitions we've outlined for the years to come. In the journal, you'll find updates on our commitments to change how food is made, change how food is grown, and ignite positive impact at Simple Mills and beyond."
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.
