As the world comes to grips with the reality of climate change, businesses are under pressure to do their part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. And some big businesses are stepping up to the plate. The effect of climate change is already being felt by businesses across sectors, from agriculture to insurance. And as the impact of climate change becomes more widespread and severe, businesses are increasingly seeing the need to take action.
Many businesses are now setting emissions reduction targets and investing in clean energy technologies. Some are even rethinking their entire business models to become more sustainable. Here are some examples of big businesses that are leading the way on climate change:
Unilever
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Unilever, one of the world’s largest consumer goods companies, has set a target to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030 (from a 2010 baseline). The company has also committed to sourcing all its electricity from renewable sources by 2030. To achieve these goals, Unilever is investing in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and carbon offsets.
IKEA
IKEA, the world’s largest furniture retailer, has set a goal to be climate positive by 2030. They plan to do this by reducing their emissions, investing in renewable energy, and offsetting their remaining emissions. IKEA is also working to promote sustainable consumption habits among their customers. Hitting the climate goal will mean big changes for IKEA, including transitioning to electric vehicles and using only renewable energy to power their stores.
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola has set a target to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2020 (from a 2009 baseline). The company has been investing in energy efficiency and renewable energy, as well as working to reduce the carbon footprint of its supply chain. Coca-Cola is also working to offset its emissions through projects such as tree planting.
Nestlé
Nestlé, the world’s largest food and beverage company, has set a goal to become carbon neutral by 2050. To achieve this, Nestlé is working to improve its energy efficiency and increase its use of renewable energy. The company is also investing in deforestation-free sourcing of agricultural commodities. It embraces transparency and traceability in its supply chain to ensure that the raw materials it uses are sustainably sourced. In 2018, Nestlé vowed to halve their carbon footprint by 2030, and they remain on track to reach this goal.
Walmart
Walmart has long been a leader in sustainable practices, and they’re taking their commitment to the environment a step further with their new goal to be powered by 100% renewable energy. They have embraced Science-based Targets, setting a goal to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by 18% by 2025 (from a 2015 baseline). Walmart is also working to promote sustainable agriculture and combat deforestation. On top of their sustainable food chain initiatives, Walmart is also working to increase energy efficiency and move towards using renewable energy.
Google has been carbon-neutral since 2007, and they’re working to further reduce their environmental impact with their recent purchase of enough renewable energy to offset all of the electricity they consume. The tech giant has also invested heavily in artificial intelligence, which they believe will help them achieve their goal of being completely carbon-free by 2030. The decarbonizing of Google’s data centers and office buildings will see a dramatic reduction in their emissions.
Amazon
Amazon co-founded the Climate Pledge, a commitment to be net-zero carbon by 2040—ten years ahead of the Paris Agreement. Amazon has also pledged to power its global infrastructure with 100% renewable energy by 2030. The company has been investing in renewable energy and energy efficiency, as well as working to decarbonize its supply chain. Amazon is also working on developing new technologies to further reduce its emissions.
General Motors
General Motors has announced that they plan to have all of their vehicles be powered by electricity by 2035. To support this goal, they’re investing $27 billion dollars in electric and autonomous vehicles over the next five years. They’re also working on making their manufacturing plants more energy-efficient and using sustainable materials in their vehicles.
Day by day, year by year, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the reality of climate change. The facts are undeniable: our planet is warming, and human activity is the primary driver. As the effects of climate change become more pronounced, businesses are under pressure to do their part in mitigating the impact. Let us be clear: this is not a case of businesses doing good simply for the PR value. It’s about survival. The more we delay in addressing climate change, the greater the costs will be down the line. We hope you’re inspired by the stories of these businesses that are taking the lead on climate change.