To view this email as a web page, go here.

Dear John,

U.S. companies are increasingly making ambitious commitments to combat the climate crisis, including reducing their own greenhouse gas emissions and committing to other science-based climate targets that can help in the transition to a net zero emissions economy.

But what happens when the lobbying of these companies doesn’t line up with their own climate commitments?

It turns out that most of the S&P 100 companies are failing to advocate and lobby for climate and energy policies that would help them meet their own goals, according to our new report: Practicing Responsible Policy Engagement: How large U.S. companies lobby on climate change.

The report examined the corporate lobbying activity of S&P 100 companies and found that the vast majority (76%) acknowledge climate science, nearly all (92%) plan to clean up their own operations by setting emission reduction goals, and most (57%) say there is a need for science-based climate policy. However, only 40% of these companies have actively engaged lawmakers to enact climate and energy policies that support these corporate commitments.

See where each company stands when it comes to engaging responsibly on climate and energy policies in our new benchmark report: Practicing Responsible Policy Engagement: How large U.S. companies lobby on climate change.

practicing Responsible Policy Engagement

Key findings from the benchmark include:

76% of assessed companies have publicly affirmed the science of climate change and 57% supported the need for science-based climate change policies, but only 40% engaged directly with lawmakers—indicating a failure to turn statements of support for climate policy into direct advocacy.
51% of the companies describe policies or legislation to address climate change as solely a short-term financial risk, even though 74% of the companies say climate change represents a material risk to their assets.
20 companies have lobbied against science-based climate policies in the last five years—even though 17 of those companies have set emission reduction targets.

The benchmark also found that 13% of companies have lobbied both for and against science-based climate policies, demonstrating the complex and inconsistent positions of certain companies and industries. Moreover, nearly 73% of companies assessed are members of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which continues to resist the policies the nation needs to make its economy more sustainable.

Today's report is the first ever benchmark analysis of the largest publicly traded U.S. companies against the 2020 Ceres Blueprint for Responsible Policy Engagement on Climate Change, which set forth expectations for how companies should incorporate exposure to climate change risks into their decision-making on climate lobbying.

The climate crisis poses a variety of material risks to companies of all sizes in all industries across the country. U.S. companies wield enormous influence with lawmakers who should be protecting our economy and global economic stability by acting on climate change now. Companies have both a financial and moral imperative to lobby in a transparent and responsible way. True corporate leaders are calling for climate policies that match the ambition of their publicly stated emission reduction goals—while making sure that their trade associations do not misrepresent their interests.

Thank you,

Anne L. Kelly
Vice President, Government Relations
Ceres
@kellyBICEP

DONATE | GIVE MONTHLY

Ceres is a nonprofit organization transforming the economy to build a just and sustainable future for people and the planet.

This email was sent to: [email protected]

This email was sent by:
Ceres
99 Chauncy Street
Boston, MA 02111

We respect your right to privacy - view our policy

Manage Subscriptions