Co-operative and mutual enterprises (CMEs) are coming together to accelerate action towards tackling climate change. This declaration sets out how CMEs will respond to the net zero transition over the coming years and take advantage of the opportunities for prosperity from a low carbon economy.
As a signatory to the Co-operatives and Mutuals Declaration of Climate Action we agree:
- The response from our organisation to climate change includes transitioning to net zero as per the recommendations of the United Nations Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
- The transition must be just, which means ensuring that climate action protects the planet, people and the economy.
- Co-operatives and mutuals have a singularity of commitment to our stakeholders, our members, our community and wider society to act in the interests of people and planet as outlined by Principle 7 of the International Cooperative Principles which enshrines “care for the community” in our business DNA.
- As co-operatives, we can use the special relationships we have with our members, customers, workers, suppliers and communities to achieve net zero and work with them to take advantage of the opportunities from the low-carbon transition.
We commit to the following:
- We will act urgently and proportionately in our response to climate change – reducing our emissions to net zero before 2050 and putting in place actions to start decarbonisation as soon as possible.
- We will undertake an assessment on the risks and opportunities posed by climate change on our organisation, our customers, members and business model, and develop a plan to mitigate these risks and build resilience to climate related shocks.
- We will measure our carbon footprint so we know our baseline and set meaningful targets aligned with climate science.
- We will use carbon offsets cautiously and as recommended by climate science and not as a proxy for taking action within our own organisation.
- We will communicate on our climate progress and the implementation of this declaration to our stakeholders on a regular basis.
- Our journey to net zero will maximise wider sustainable development benefits such as protecting nature, improving air-quality and job creation.
- We will establish supporting governance for the journey to net-zero including ensuring the response to the climate crisis is reflected in different areas/functions of our organisation.
- In line with Principle 6 of the International Cooperative Principles – “Cooperation among Cooperatives” – we will collaborate with other organisations across the BCCM family from multiple sectors, to share practices and learnings as well as explore new opportunities from the low carbon transition.
With thanks to BCCM.coop