April is Earth Month and 22 April is Earth Day… but really, every day is Earth Day.
The official theme for Earth Day 2022 is “Invest in Our Planet.” It’s focused on “accelerating solutions to combat our greatest threat, climate change, and to activate everyone – governments, citizens, and businesses – to do their part. Everyone accounted for, and everyone accountable”.
Business has a role to play in fighting climate change. Often, the voices we need to listen to most are those we hear the least. Dynamic4 is choosing to be a part of the solution by centring climate justice, listening first, and then taking action.
Climate justice recognises that those who are least responsible for climate change are more likely to suffer its most devastating effects, now and in the future. These frontline communities will be impacted first and worst. Climate justice places the needs, voices, and leadership of those who are most impacted by climate change at the forefront.
Business and industry are the sources of the majority of our planet’s greenhouse gases, which are contributing to climate change. An economy that is built on extracting from people and the earth – along with a growth-at-any-cost mindset – has accelerated emissions and climate change. Businesses have a significant role to play in the causes of climate change, so they must be a part of the solutions.
Businesses need to make the mindset shift from extractive and exploitative to equitable and regenerative.
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. There’s no simple checklist. Real engagement with climate justice requires a long-term commitment to learning, growing, and acting. Business strategies may vary, but a common ingredient required is collaboration. No business can do this work alone!
Dynamic4 is proud to be a member of the B Corp Climate Collective. We were one of the 533 B Corps who publicly committed to net zero emissions by the year 2030 at COP25 in 2019. We take this commitment seriously. We’ve been climate positive since 2010 – we consistently minimise our carbon impact and offset 20% more than our calculated emissions – but we still have so much more to learn and do. Our Impact Report show’s our approach.
Check out The Climate Justice Playbook for Business: How to Centre Climate Action in Climate Justice for practical help on your journey… if you’re climate curious and just getting started – or already taking bold action, there’s so much value here. This post uses key extracts and messages from this playbook.
I encourage you to think about the communities your business could work with to take action on climate justice. Start by listening and remember your role is to learn from those most impacted. I’d love to hear the approach you’re taking and how things are progressing. Let’s collaborate!
#EarthDay #BusinessForClimateJustice
