“Caring For Climate: the Business Leadership Platform”
A Statement by the Business Leaders of the UN Global Compact
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Download the letter of invitation to participants to join the climate platform.
Caring for Climate overview and engagement opportunities 2007-2010.
"Caring for Climate: A Call to Business Leaders".
"Caring for Climate" is a voluntary and complementary action platform for those UN Global Compact participants who seek to demonstrate leadership on the issue of climate change. It provides a framework for business leaders to advance practical solutions and help shape public policy as well as public attitudes. Chief executive officers who support the statement are prepared to set goals, develop and expand strategies and practices, and to publicly disclose emissions. With respect to disclosure, endorsers commit to communicating on an annual basis on progress made as part of their existing disclosure commitment within the UN Global Compact framework, that is, the Communication on Progress.
Caring for Climate is a unique initiative -- a commitment to action by business and a call to governments, incorporating transparency. It offers an interface for business and governments at the global level, with the potential of rapidly becoming the leading platform for pragmatic business solutions -- transcending national interests and responding to the global nature of the issue at stake. Moreover, the broad geographical spread of its supporters, involving both leading actors from developed and emerging economies, reinforces the novel nature of this engagement platform.
Join the Platform by Becoming a Signatory
The Global Compact is inviting all business participants to join a Global Business Leadership Platform on Climate Change by becoming signatories to the attached statement “Caring for Climate: The Business Leadership Platform”. It is hoped that a significant number of business leaders will support the Statement, thereby expressing the urgent need for businesses, governments and citizens to take steps to address climate change.
The names of companies supporting the Statement will be recognized on the UN Global Compact website and in the report of actions taken by signatories. A company’s decision to endorse the Statement should follow the Global Compact’s established leadership model and requires CEO-level support. To indicate your support for the Statement, please send an email to climatechange@unglobalcompact.org indicating your endorsement.
Explanatory Note
Origins of the Statement
The Global Compact’s commitment to environmental protection is firmly embedded in its foundational spirit and three environmental principles. There is now a consensus that the climate change agenda will affect business and society in fundamental and transformative ways. The importance of early action is increasingly recognized. As climate change has become a fundamental issue for society, the need for leadership and voluntary action is becoming ever more urgent. Against this background, a consultation group comprised of business and civil society representatives convened by the Global Compact, UNEP and the WBCSD has prepared a Statement entitled “Caring for Climate, The Business Leadership Platform”. This Statement has also found broad support among the Global Compact’s multistakeholder Board.
Endorsing the Statement
The Statement offers UN Global Compact business participants an opportunity to demonstrate climate leadership on both the individual and collective levels. A company’s decision to endorse the Statement should follow the Global Compact’s established leadership and organizational change model: it requires CEO-level support, strategic and operational changes within the organization, and ongoing public communication on related activities and performance in line with the Communication on Progress framework. Support for the Statement is, therefore, consistent with existing Global Compact engagement methodologies.
The Global Compact is aware that many if its 3000-plus business participants currently do not
have the capacity to measure their GHG emissions due to size and other organizational
characteristics. It is the established practice of the UN Global Compact not to discriminate
on these grounds.
What the Statement is NOT
The Statement is not a new requirement for UN Global Compact participation. It is an optional platform for active Global Compact participants who wish to advance climate change solutions. A decision to abstain from the Statement will not in any way be viewed as an indication of a company's commitment to the Global Compact or impact its standing in the initiative. This Statement seeks to provide a practical platform for advancing the Global Compact’s environmental principles while adding value to businesses. At the same time, other measures taken by companies to preserve the environment and to address their carbon footprint will continue to be equally appreciated under the UN Global Compact.
Other Explanations
It is understood that the call to governments to develop frameworks is meant to be carried forward under the current international framework. Moreover, the term “setting standards” under the business commitment is clearly meant to refer to environmental performance standards, such as energy consumption, environmental impact and emissions. It does not refer to “international standards” whose design is the prerogative of governments. Furthermore, it is understood that the setting of voluntary targets as referred to in commitment # 1 will be in accordance with different responsibilities and capabilities.
Contact:
Lila Karbassi
karbassi@un.org
+1-917-367-3648
(Last Update 2 July 2008)
