“If we don’t take action, the collapse of our civilisations and the extinction of much of the natural world is on the horizon.”
-Sir David Attenborough
Climate change is a defining business issue of our time and if organisations are to make a difference here in Northern Ireland, the time to act is now.
Over the past year I have often felt like we are living in a time that just pre-dates an apocalyptic movie, like Interstellar, where we have to find a way off this planet. Like the majority of global experts, I believe that Climate Change is humanity’s biggest ever challenge, but also an unprecedented opportunity to create change and protect our future generations. I, for one, hope we don’t blow it.
The truth is that the world is off target when it comes to global warming and emission reduction. By 2070, temperatures in Northern Ireland could be up to between 3.9°C and 4.9°C warmer, winters 25% wetter, summers 38% drier, and, by 2100, sea levels in Belfast could rise by up to 94cms. These remarkable, projected changes could threaten life as we know it – failing crops, water availability, extinction of species, extreme weather, major irreversible changes and health issues.
The UK was the first major economy in the world to pass laws to end its contribution to global warming by 2050, a goal which can only be achieved if we all play our part. The climate emergency continues to grow in importance on the public’s agenda, and, according to a recent survey carried out by Belfast Chamber, the vast majority of businesses here strongly support the pursuit of carbon reduction targets.
It’s simple. Businesses need to act now and address the climate emergency. However, they also need to grow. Hence, it is no surprise that many will also look at embracing sustainability as a compelling opportunity to drive income and innovate so that they can help to meet the climate challenge.
At Ardmore, we made a big decision last year that it was time to play our part in three significant ways:
- Reduce our own operational carbon footprint to net zero.
- Reduce the carbon footprint of the creative campaigns we produce and advertise for our clients.
- Harness the power of communications to promote more sustainable consumer choices and behaviours .
We have set out on this journey with our own adaptation of the UN’s Race to Zero Framework – Pledge, Plan, Proceed and Publish:
Pledge
We are committed to reducing our operational carbon footprint to net-zero as soon as possible and have started the process to make this an official, public Climate Action Pledge. We first established a Climate Action Task Force to lead the project and inspire the wider agency team. Next, we engaged Planet Mark, an independent consultancy, to measure our CO2e emissions baseline and help us to plan and certify our journey to net zero. And thirdly, key members of our Task Force are participating in Business in the Community’s Climate Action Program to increase our capacity to plan and implement our strategy.
Plan
Once our Carbon Emissions baseline is independently reported with Planet Mark, Ardmore will publish its Climate Action Pledge, Plan and annual interim targets to reach net-zero emissions. This plan will include the reduction of our operational footprint and actions to measure and address the footprint of our creative productions, media campaigns and supply chain.
Proceed
The action plan will be implemented with immediate effect, with the goal of consistently delivering or exceeding our interim targets.
Publish
We will report, publish and independently certify our progress annually with our partners Planet Mark.
Platform for Change
We will develop a Platform for Change to not only drive and document our journey to net zero, but also to inspire, educate and help our staff, clients, audiences and stakeholders to take Climate Action. For example, with the average person in the UK emitting 10 tonnes of CO2e per year, our Platform for Change aims to find fun and engaging ways to help staff reduce emissions across their energy usage, transport, food and more.
Your turn?
Has your company established a climate pledge or plans to reach net zero?
Whether you are already on the journey or you want to start but aren’t sure how, we are here to share our experience and help you navigate the communications challenges to communicate your progress with your audience, staff, stakeholders, investors and suppliers.
