In the lead up to World Environment Day 2020, a virtual presentation will be held to mark the completion of the First Edition of the Climate Leadership programme on promoting business responsibility for people and planet.
Taking place during the “Positive Business in Poland” conference on 4 June, the companies taking part in the programme will report on their commitments towards measurably reducing the negative environmental impact of their products and services – the key qualifying criteria for entering the programme.
Ten companies with operations in Poland took part in the First Edition of the programme, including; BNP Paribas, BOŚ Bank and ERGO Hestia (banking sector), Auchan, Carrefour and IKEA (retail), Orange Poland (ICT), Coca-Cola, Żywiec Zdrój from Danone and Grupa Żywiec from Heineken (Fast Moving Consumer Goods).
The programme, created by UNEP/GRID-Warsaw Centre and its Director, Maria Andrzejewska, along with Professor Bolesław Rok – a renowned expert in the field of Corporate Social Responsibility – aims to support companies in pursuing the long-term goal of climate neutrality by transitioning to sustainable production and consumption patterns.
Since the programme’s launch in November 2019, each participating company has been working closely with expert scientists and business consultants to develop climate commitment plans. Regular video calls have allowed the work on climate commitments to continue despite the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.
The UN Science Policy Business Forum is a supporting partner of the programme, hosting a joint launch of the programme during its Second Governing Consortium Meeting in Canberra last year. Head of the Forum, Shereen Zorba will also be providing a speech during the presentation on 4 June.
With recent environmental emergencies affecting millions, the business case for a green economy is clear and demands leaders of industry and policy to act now to protect people and planet. The United Nations Environment Programme has labelled 2020 the ‘super year’ for action on the environment and calls for a ‘Build Back Better’ response to COVID-19.
A wide range of sectors are represented in the programme, from finance, Fast Moving Consumer Goods to ICT companies. Depending on the relative environmental impacts of their operations, each company has reviewed ways to improve the sustainability of their energy use, packaging and promoting re-use practices, amongst other areas.
A report detailing each companies climate commitments will be published in September 2020 to coincide with the launch of the Second Edition of the programme.
The event can be watched online on 4th June 2020 (in Polish) from 09:30 to 17:30 Warsaw time at https://www.facebook.com/KozminskiBusinessHub/
For event details, please contact Bartłomiej Kozek bartlomiej.kozek@gridw.pl
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Image: An SDG themed award handed out during the Climate Leadership launch ceremony, part of the SDG Partnership “Together for the Environment” meeting in 2019. Copyright: UNEP/GRID Warsaw