COP28 is the key annual moment when national governments come together to thrash out the plans and details of how the world will manage climate change. However, COP conferences are always an opportunity for businesses to draw attention to sustainability strategies, commitments, and successes too.
This year there will be more focus than ever on action and how businesses can persuade employees, supply chains and governments to support their net zero journey.
COP28 and what to expect
This year, COP28 will be held in December in the UAE. As always, it will draw global attention, likely to be peppered with a strong dose of extra controversy as concerns continue about lack of leadership around key issues including the transition away from fossil fuels, climate funding and how we can feed a growing population on the planet, without destroying the natural world.
As more companies attend COP meetings, key issues such as managing supply chain risk, working with policy makers, and ensuring employees are part of the sustainability strategy will be discussed at the myriad of side events at COP. Indeed, at COP26 in Glasgow some of the biggest announcements came from what the UN refer to as “non state actors”.
This year there is also likely to be an increasing awareness on the crucial role employees play, highlighted by the inclusion of employee engagement in the UN backed Race to Zero criteria.
What are the Race to Zero Criteria?
The UN backed Race to Zero brings together over 11,000 businesses, regions, universities, health care providers and other entities who have committed to reach net zero by 2050, along with a 2030 interim target. Race to Zero criteria, known as the 5 P’s, require members to Pledge, Plan, Proceed, Publish and Persuade. These criteria apply to all members, who join Race to Zero through Partner initiatives, such as the CBI.
This year the Race to Zero has put special focus on the final P – Persuade. This is to encourage businesses to think about all the ways they can help take action on climate change often beyond their day-to-day operations.
That’s why, in November, Giki is running the first ever Employee Race to Zero ahead of COP28. The Employee Race to Zero is open to all current and future Race to Zero members who want to educate, engage, and inspire their employees on sustainability.
At Giki we are specifically focused on the 5th P, Persuade, and the companies we work with, including Accenture, Adobe, Deloitte, NatWest Group and many others value our expertise in sustainable behaviours and behaviour change, carbon footprints and climate communications.
What is the Employee Race to Zero?
The Employee Race to Zero will provide a fun, competitive, focused month of climate action ahead of COP28, where employee teams compete, collaborate, and connect with other companies to take climate actions together. The race will focus on key themes relevant to COP28 and provide great stories and data to build sustainability awareness and knowledge across the organisation. Many participants are using the Employee Race to Zero as a quick win, high impact way to start employee engagement and help to support their Race to Zero commitments.
The aim is to provide an inspiring, high impact project to help companies encourage sustainable behaviours amongst employees to accelerate net zero.
With more than 15 organisations, representing over 600,000 employees, and 10 different sectors, including companies which feed us, house us, transport us, entertain us, provide technology, protect our heritage and inspire us with great sport, it is a great representation of 21st century society.
Carolyn Ball, Director for Delivery of Net Zero at Compass UK&I, summarises why Compass UK&I is joining the race:
“Everyone’s choices matter, and it’s in this spirit that we want to come together as a community - not just as a corporate. Working with Giki and through the Employee Race to Zero gives us the opportunity to do this in an inclusive and measurable way, demystifying climate action so everyone feels empowered to act.”
With financial and short-term pressures, it can be really challenging to engage and educate employees around sustainability strategies and priorities, but by creating competition, using a strong dose of camaraderie and fun we always see fantastic engagement, data, and stories. These are crucial components in inspiring people across the business because internal champions, real stories, and powerful, meaningful data, make sustainability issues real and relevant for people. These are all vital ingredients in tackling the climate and environmental challenges we all face.
To find out more, get in touch with Giki.
