1700+ |
Companies Commit to net zero 2030, including 1100+ B Corps |
Net Zero 2030: What is it?
Participating companies in Net Zero 2030 commit to achieving net zero emissions by 2030, which apply to Scope 1, Scope 2, and most relevant Scope 3 emissions. Companies should use science-based targets to reduce emissions wherever possible. They should use verified offsets, emphasizing carbon removal projects, to balance emissions that cannot be eliminated. Net Zero 2030 participating companies are expected to:
PLEDGE: Publicly commit to Net Zero by 2030 through a communication from the highest level executive in the company.
PLAN: Outline and share with relevant stakeholders the steps you will take in the short and medium term to meet this commitment.
PROCEED: Take immediate and regular action towards your targets.
PUBLISH: Self report progress against your plan and targets at least annually on the company’s website, blog site, and/or sustainability report.
Net Zero by 2030 + UNFCC Race to Zero
The B Corp Climate Collective is a member organization of the UNFCCC's Race to Zero campaign, which mobilizes cities and organizations to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. As part of this partnership, all Net Zero by 2030 committed B Corps are considered a part of the Race to Zero.
Both the B Corp Climate Collective and the UNFCC Race to Zero campaign are committed to credible commitments to Net Zero. They have created this toolkit, “Get Net Zero Right,” to help us all understand what a credible net zero commitment looks like, including insight into critical topics such as emissions scopes, offsetting, interim targets and immediate action plans. Learn more here.
Background: Net Zero by 2030
On December 11, 2019, at the UN Climate Change Conference, COP25, in Madrid, over 500 B Corps took the stage and publicly committed to accelerate the reduction of their greenhouse gas emissions to reach a 1.5 degree trajectory leading to net zero by the year 2030—20 years ahead of the 2050 targets set in the Paris Agreement. In the weeks that followed, hundreds more have joined their ranks, with additional companies signing up daily.
This commitment to significant carbon reduction leading to a net zero future by 2030 is part of the most aggressive climate action effort by a constituency of businesses in the world and demonstrates true leadership in a time of severe environmental and economic unrest and uncertainty.
Read the full statement here issued by the Certified B Corporation community outlining their commitments, as well as quotes from leaders within the community.
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Climate Action Stories Toolkit
Hashtags: #COP26 #netzero2030 #bcorp #climateaction
B CORP COMMUNITY STATEMENT
We are living in unprecedented times. The most important global climate conference to address accelerating climate change and ecological breakdown has been forced to move to the other side of the world four weeks before the event because of the most recent example of a more immediate and growing threat to our global social order, persistent social inequities and increasing inequality.
It is clear to us that these twin crises are being driven, and responses constrained, by an economic system that rewards the single-minded pursuit of profits while untenably externalising environmental and social costs. This results in decisions that prioritize short term financial returns often at the expense of people, communities and the natural world on which all life depends.
As business leaders, we recognize these crises as threats to healthy markets and healthy businesses. As human beings, we recognize these crises as threats to our quality of life and the quality of life of our children and their children.
We will have more to say in the near future about this underlying system failure, but in the context of COP25, we believe the science shows that a 1.5°C increase in average global temperature is the limit to reduce the worst impacts for our planet and its inhabitants, especially communities on the frontlines who will be impacted first and most significantly. At the current trajectory, it is estimated we will reach this limit as early as 2030.
We believe, therefore, that it is imperative for all businesses to demonstrate leadership in eliminating emissions, drawing down carbon, and ensuring a just transition for displaced workers and communities to a net zero emissions economy. In addition, we believe it is imperative to use the power of our collective voice to advocate for policy changes necessary to remove impediments and align incentives that will drive meaningful climate action.
A Commitment to Climate Action
The Certified B Corporation movement is about leadership. All B Corps sign a Declaration of Interdependence stating the belief, "That all business ought to be conducted as if people and place mattered [...] and thus we are responsible for each other and future generations." All B Corps make a legal commitment to conduct business with consideration for the environment and all stakeholders, not just shareholders.
Therefore, the B Corp movement is taking the following urgent actions:
Climate Action: Many B Corps around the world are leaders in responding to the climate emergency including following the steps outlined below; we urge the entire global B Corp community to:
Declare a Climate Emergency. Use the Climate Emergency Playbook for Business as a roadmap to engage their board and team with the science-based facts and the implications for their business and for society, especially for those most vulnerable.
Accelerate Carbon Reduction. Calculate their baseline Scope 1-3 emissions aligned to an independent internationally recognized standard and commit to accelerate their current emissions reduction trajectory using the Climate Action module of the SDG Action Manager to meet the global goals of a 1.5°C average temperature increase.
Develop a Net Zero Plan. Offset the remaining carbon emissions to achieve net zero emissions between 2025-2050.
Join the B Corp Climate Collective. Become part of a global community of learning and practice regarding climate action, climate justice and climate advocacy.
Climate Advocacy: Recognizing that voluntary action by individual businesses is insufficient to address the scale of the climate emergency, we commit to use the power of our collective voice to advocate for policy changes necessary to remove impediments and align incentives to achieve a rapid and just transition to a net zero carbon economy. We will share publicly in 2020 a policy and advocacy strategy for the global B Corp community to support meaningful climate action.
Update Our Standards: Recognizing that the performance requirements for B Corp Certification are designed to differentiate leaders, and are also used as a free roadmap and toolkit for action by tens of thousands of other businesses around the world, B Lab will immediately begin to re-evaluate these requirements in the context of the climate emergency and other pressing issues the world faces today. Proposed recommendations based on a public multi-stakeholder engagement process will be made to the independent B Lab Standards Advisory Council.
Today, we affirm our commitment to collective and immediate action to halt and reverse the current climate trajectory and to build an economic system whose purpose is to create shared and durable prosperity for all and for the long term. We not only call on our community of B Corps, but all businesses to champion meaningful climate solutions to secure the health of people and our home planet for future generations.
B Lab/Sistema B Global Network
Serving a Global Movement of People Using Business as a Force for Good
QUOTES FROM THE COMMUNITY
“The call for action in response to the climate emergency is getting louder and louder yet we are still seeing global emissions continuing to rise. If we are to stand a chance of tackling this crisis, we need to work together and we are proud to be joining fellow B Corps across the world in taking action.”
- Christopher Davis, International Director of Sustainability, The Body Shop
“As co-founder of the first B Corp in South America and co-founder of Sistema B, and as COP25 High Level Climate Champion, I was thrilled to announce the commitments of over 500 courageous B Corps to achieve net zero emssions by 2030 to the UNFCCC secretariat—and to the world—today at COP25. All economic systems must change if we are to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of global warming and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, and the global B Corp community has a critical role to play in this process. We need business leadership to accelerate the trajectory of emission reductions inside their individual businesses and to advocate for climate policy with their governments. B Corps can lead the way to demonstrate what is possible individually and collectively.”
- Gonzalo Munoz, High Level Climate Champion for COP25
"We built Allbirds with the idea that businesses could–and should–play a role in protecting the environment. Any brand, no matter the size, can begin making a difference today by limiting, measuring, offsetting and reducing their carbon footprint. That's why this year we launched the Carbon Fund, a self-imposed carbon tax that funds 100% carbon neutrality through emission-reduction programs. We're proud to join fellow B Corps in committing to a net zero future and demonstrating the impact we can have when we work together."
- Tim Brown, co-founder and co-CEO of Allbirds
Want to commit your company to the collective?
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B CORP CLIMATE ACTION COMMITMENT: Net Zero 2030
DEFINITION OF TERMS (V2)
Updated February 2021 | Download PDF here
Participating companies commit to achieving net zero emissions by 2030. Net zero emissions applies to their Scope 1, Scope 2, and most relevant Scope 3 emissions and is achieved by reducing emissions wherever possible and using verified offsets, emphasizing carbon removal projects, to balance emissions that cannot be eliminated.
Towards achieving this commitment, it is recommended that companies use science-based targets to achieve their reduction strategy and use Gold Standard carbon offsets or other offset products approved by relevant expert governmental or intergovernmental entities, with an emphasis on carbon removals.
Net Zero 2030 participating companies are expected to:
PLEDGE: Publicly commit to Net Zero by 2030 through a communication from the highest level executive in the company (e.g., on the company website, blog site and or sustainability report) as well as through the B Corp Climate Collective website). This pledge should include:
An outline of what is included in the Scope 3 commitment, any exclusions, and the rationale for those exclusions;
A summary of the process for evaluating and identifying “most relevant” Scope 3 emissions;
The type of verified offset(s) used to balance emissions, and the rationale for its selection; and
The current Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions and the amount offset.
PLAN: Outline and share with relevant stakeholders the steps you will take in the short and medium term to meet this commitment, including incremental targets and actions to meet the 2030 timeline.
PROCEED: Take immediate and regular action towards your targets.
PUBLISH: Self report progress against your plan and targets at least annually on the company’s website, blog site, and/or sustainability report.
Rationale
Based on all of the feedback, this commitment needs to be ambitious, simple, specific, achievable, and rooted within the 2030 timeframe. The many different perspectives also indicated that, to some degree, the commitment needs to be flexible. Similar to other efforts, this proposal is intended to balance these needs, and also rely on public transparency in places where it is not possible for us to be too prescriptive (specific offsets or details of Scope 3). In doing so, it gives us a simple headline, with underlying guidance for the detail.
DEFINITIONS AND REFERENCE LINKS
Net Zero Emissions
When any caused GHG emissions are balanced out by removing GHGs from the atmosphere (a process known as carbon removal), for example by restoring forests or through direct air capture and storage (DACS) technology. The concept of net-zero emissions is akin to "climate neutrality." Source: World Resources Institute
“Net Zero” has been chosen to acknowledge that, while absolute emissions should be reduced as much as possible, carbon offsets are an important component of balancing emissions and helping achieve the Paris Agreement. Furthermore, usage of the term “emissions,” versus carbon neutral, acknowledges that there are additional greenhouse gas emissions beyond carbon that should also be included in net zero commitments as well.
Scope 1, 2, and 3 Emissions
Scope 1 emissions are direct emissions from owned or controlled sources.
Scope 2 emissions are indirect emissions from the generation of purchased energy.
Scope 3 emissions are all indirect emissions (not included in scope 2) that occur in the value chain of the reporting company, including both upstream and downstream emissions.
Source: GHG Protocol
For this commitment, the terminology of “most relevant Scope 3” emissions has been included to acknowledge that while Scope 3 emissions comprise the vast majority of a company’s emissions, measuring and eliminating them in their entirety is vague and challenging, sometimes not even possible. Even companies with best practices like Patagonia, which has a commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2025, acknowledge that some Scope 3 emissions are excluded.
Companies are required to include Scope 3 emissions in their commitment, but should do so by conducting an analysis to identify Scope 3 emissions that are most relevant to them and including those most relevant emissions in their commitment, allowing for reasonable exclusions. One useful resource in conducting an analysis of Scope 3 emissions is available by the GHG Protocol here.
Science Based Targets
Targets adopted by companies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are considered “science-based” if they are in line with what the latest climate science says is necessary to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement—to limit global warming to well-below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C. Source: Science Based Targets Initiative
Gold Standard Carbon Offsets
Gold Standard was founded as a quality label to ensure environmental integrity and the delivery of sustainable development benefits for compliance projects under the UN Clean Development Mechanism.Gold Standard certification ensures that these emission reductions are real, 'additional,' and permanent, coming from projects that also contribute to a minimum of three Sustainable Development Goals. Source: The Gold Standard
What is the definition of carbon removals?
The IPCC defines removals as anthropogenic activities removing CO2 from the atmosphere and durably storing it in geological, terrestrial, or ocean reservoirs, or in products. Existing and potential carbon removal measures include afforestation and reforestation, land restoration and soil carbon sequestration, bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, direct air carbon capture and storage (DACCS), enhanced weathering and ocean alkalinisation.
Net Zero Climate is an online tool that connects users with research and resources to help companies set and achieve their net zero climate commitments across sectors and policy landscapes. It was created by the Oxford Net Zero Climate Research and Engagement Team in allyship with the SME Climate Hub partners including B Lab and leading global scientists.
NOTE: The global B Corp community is a member organization of both the UNFCCC Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action and the UN’s Climate Ambition Alliance. Under their Race to Zero campaign, these alliances focus on accelerating cross-sector climate action to address the climate emergency and meet (or exceed) the Paris Agreement target to achieve a zero carbon economy no later than the 2040s. All Net Zero by 2030 committed B Corps are considered part of the #RacetoZero.
Questions? Comments? Email climate@bcorporation.net