August 24, 2023

Starting Your Journey to Net-Zero: How Businesses Can Drive Climate Action

With climate action taking center stage in today's world, it is essential that companies not only have a plan but also deliberately act toward sustainability goals. That’s why the Rocket team was excited to join our partners at the University of Colorado Boulder - Leeds School of Business to dive headfirst into their Climate Action for Business course. (Full disclosure: Rocket funds two Leeds scholarships for students of color pursuing a certificate in ESG.)
If you’re interested in gaining the knowledge and tools to inform and implement a complete climate strategy, this course is for you. It provides a tailored template for action that can be applied specifically to your company and industry and gain a deep understanding of the vocabulary, frameworks, and models essential for effective climate action.

The Takeaways

While the climate action landscape can feel complex and often daunting, we encourage every company, of every size, to start somewhere. We were particularly impressed with the depth and breadth covered by instructors with deep knowledge of the space: using interactive components to guide our journey from the science refresh to reporting to stakeholder engagement considerations. Check out our leading takeaways from the course—what we would suggest are the top need-to-knows for every social impact leader.

1.

To preserve a livable planet, we need to cut all emissions in half by 2030 AND be net-zero by 2050.

2.

As the largest emitters, businesses need to lead: Individual actions are necessary, but the only way to limit global warming to 1.5ºC (the limit set by world leaders to avert the worst impacts of climate change) is for the private sector to transition to net-zero emissions processes.

3.

WE CAN DO THIS: The business community has the blueprint for success, the problem is collective action. An analogy we loved was comparing climate action to healthy eating: we know what a healthy diet looks like, but not everyone chooses to follow it.

4.

You can be a first mover: Acting now can likely position you as a leader in your industry. Don’t be discouraged if your company hasn’t created a climate action plan yet. You’re not as late to the game as you think!
5.

The SEC may force businesses’ hands soon: The SEC is considering new climate disclosure rules that will improve and standardize climate-related reporting, making it mandatory rather than voluntary.
6.

Planting trees alone won’t solve the problem: Afforestation efforts make for a nice headline, but we can’t plant our way out of this situation. (We literally don’t have enough room on Earth.) Focusing on keeping carbon in the ground leads to a greater impact.
7.

Where to start your climate action planning: Determine organizational boundaries; gather data on your scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions; evaluate the sustainability plans of your partners, vendors, and suppliers (and if they don’t have one, look for one that does); acknowledge and commit to the operational changes that need to be made to reduce emissions.
8.
Make your environmental communication approachable: Ditch the jargon and talk to your stakeholders in words they can understand and act upon. Focus on solution-oriented messages, action, and leadership rather than complex data and fear-based messaging.
Click here to learn more about the Climate Action for Business course offered through The University of Colorado’s Leeds School of Business.
The next class is May 16-17.
We'd love to chat! Drop us a line.
Drew Yukelson
Account Director
drew@rocketsocialimpact.com

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