“Corporate silence on association advocacy is not neutrality; it is acquiescence” says Exponential Roadmap Initiative and Race to Zero in its Business Associations Climate Action Guide (June 2024). The Guide explains the steps that companies can take to ensure that the business associations they are members of are working in alignment with science-aligned climate policy.
Human Level’s Take: Companies play an individual and a collective role when it comes to limiting global warming to 1.5°C. Individually, companies can develop and implement climate transition plans to increase the preparedness and resilience of their business in the context of climate change and biodiversity loss. Collectively, companies can join business associations who are rallying around these topics and calling for better policies and regulations. A less well-known lever companies have is engaging with these associations on whether they are aligned with science-backed climate policy. What business associations am I a member of? What do these associations do when it comes to climate policy advocacy and engagement? For misaligned associations, is there anything I can do to help them work toward alignment? What else can I do to contribute to an enabling environment which prioritises limiting global warming to 1.5°C? All questions companies should be thinking about when leveraging their membership of associations in the climate policy space.
The Guide outlines nine key steps to align business association memberships with positive climate policy engagement. These are explained in further detail below:
Assess alignment: It is important that companies first understand whether their own climate policy engagements are aligned with the 1.5°C global warming limit outlined in the 2015 Paris Agreement. It is recommended that this takes place before companies assess their business associations’ alignment with science-backed climate policy engagement. The Guide recommends that companies commit to, and assign accountability for, science-aligned climate policy engagement within their organisations. The next step is to do an inventory of business association memberships, with an in-depth review of those that play an important role in the climate policy landscape. Companies should prioritise associations that operate within, and have a large influence over, large markets and/or regions. For selected associations, companies can check InfluenceMap (a leading database of corporate and industry association lobbying of climate policy around the world) and Climate Action for Associations (a sustainability network in the membership sector) to see whether they have any information on associations' climate policy engagement. Companies can also conduct their own analysis or engage with an external consultancy to assess associations’ alignment with science-backed climate policy, as well as explain the methodologies used and assessment outcomes. The Guide provides case studies of company best practice in relation to assessing alignment (page 9).
Work towards alignment: For misaligned associations, companies should decide on a strategy (e.g., clear timelines and escalation actions) to help move them toward alignment. This can be done one-on-one with the association or collaborating with other members. Techniques to influence associations include requesting information; connecting senior leadership in the company and in the association to discuss climate goals and strategies; lobbying the association to embed climate-related items in its code of practice/conduct, training provision and industry resources; and raising concerns through committees or in letters. If working towards alignment fails, companies can consider terminating membership as a last resort. This should be clearly communicated with the association. Companies should also communicate their climate policy engagement strategy, including analysis and suggested actions, to their associations and outline what is expected of them. In addition companies should disclose their analyses on business association alignment publicly and, ideally, their strategy to engage. The Guide provides case studies of company best practice in relation to addressing misalignment (pages 12 and 13).
Accelerate climate goals: For aligned associations, companies can acknowledge and reward them. For instance, companies can make it clear that membership renewal is based on the association’s alignment with science-backed climate policy engagement. Companies can also engage in more climate-aligned initiatives and/or associations. This will in turn incentivise misaligned associations to take corrective actions to maintain market competitiveness. The Guide provides examples of climate initiatives and associations (pages 15 and 16).
