From where we’re sitting, this lack of action is tied to two factors:
1. Capitalism.
More than one-third (37%) of CEOs in a 2023 PwC survey said that the transition to new energy sources will affect profitability in their industry to a large or very large extent over the next 10 years, versus 14% who see climate change as a risk during the year ahead.
The federal government and some states are addressing the financial burden of pro-climate business overhauls. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 included nearly $370 billion in climate and clean energy provisions intended to help companies tackle climate change, increase investments in renewable energy and enhance energy efficiency. Companies aren’t flailing in the dark for guidance either; consultants like PwC have created entire business arms dedicated to sustainability and ESG (environmental, social and governance).
2. Apathy.
One 2023 study showed the world’s corporations produce so much climate change pollution, it could eat up about 44% of their profits if they had to pay damages. Such punitive measures barely exist in the U.S.; in June, Vermont became the first state to require oil companies to pay for climate change damages.
Changing energy-use practices is hard, y’all, and it requires a major financial and emotional investment throughout the entire organization. Just 17% of CEOs say their company has enacted a data-driven, enterprise-level climate strategy; clearly, the future of the planet just isn’t enough incentive.
The bottom line:
Without business-ruining consequences, global corporations will never enact sufficient climate and clean energy policies. The few global-minded CEOs and organizations can’t overshadow the effects of the many.
How 3 Big Corporations Think About Climate Change — Are They All Talk?
This clothing and gear company is a real O.G. (original green); its B Corp Overall B Impact score is double the required level for certification. Patagonia’s commitment centers on material and environmental; social responsibility; and supply chain. Today, the company is focused on turning plastics into new products; organic and regenerative farming; and improved worker conditions, among many, many other initiatives.
Beefless burgers that taste like the real thing are becoming reality. Beyond Burgers require 99% less water, 93% less land, 46% less energy, and produce 90% fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to their cow counterpart. The company’s 2022 environmental policy covers production/operations; products and services; logistics; and suppliers and key business partners. But Beyond Meat doesn’t share any tangible examples or outcomes of the policy on their website — there’s no proof of accountability.
We’re dubious about this one. Yes, Google openly tracks progress on goals like achieving net-zero emissions across all operations and value chain by 2030. And yes, it’s using AI to help customers respond to climate change. But that same AI creates an obscene amount of greenhouse gas — in 2023, the company’s emissions rose by 48% compared to its 2019 target base year. Google admits that’s primarily due to increases in data center energy consumption and supply chain emissions.
When the biggest contributors don’t do their part, it can be tough not to lose hope or doubt the ability of the small to affect change.
Bigmouth is a small business, and our climate footprint is ant-sized compared to the world’s biggest polluters. But that doesn’t mean we should ignore it. We are all responsible for resisting surrender, leading by example and doing our best. When all the ants come together, we can really ruin a picnic.
It’s not enough to know our team is on the same climate page; we needed to make our commitment tangible. Here’s how we got there—and how you can do the same.
Represent everyone. As with all things Bigmouth, our environmental actions arose from a group brainstorm. Our individual concerns and unique experiences bring different ideas to the table and inform a robust document.
Gain buy-in. As we brainstormed, we talked through the “why” and “how” behind each action. Hearing each person’s enthusiasm made the things that mattered to them, matter to all of us.
Make it actionable and realistic. After our sky’s-the-limit conversation, we came back down to earth. What could we accomplish by year’s end? What should be earmarked for 2025? What were some stretch goals? Breaking our commitment down into reasonable steps was both reassuring and invigorating—we can do this, and here’s how!
Bigmouth centers our entire agency around serving as a voice for good. Often, that means using our big mouths to lift up the people around us. But we’re also committed to speaking up for our planet.
Bigmouth is stepping up to lessen our own impact on our local and global environment in all areas of our business.
This includes, but is not limited to:
• Technology use and disposal
• Energy use, sourcing and suppliers
• Water use and clean air
• Transportation of both goods and people
• Physical resources, use and disposal
• Partner and client environmental impact
• Creating recommendations for home office water and recycling use, and tracking our data
• Creating guidelines and approved suppliers for home office goods like paper, ink, pens and more
• Create home office recommendations encouraging clean air and beautification through house plants, air filters/fresh air and other science-backed solutions
• Encouraging employees to take outdoor walking breaks and tracking our movement
• Researching and developing recommendations for reducing our electricity use
• Creating an AI policy that considers its environmental impacts
• Capturing our agency’s estimated electricity use in kWh for benchmarking
• Tracking our annual e-waste production
• Hosting a responsible e-waste disposal in Q4
• Create a statement covering our environmental stewardship policies to communicate to partners and clients
