The best we can hope for is that, after its initial flurry of actions, the new Congress and president kick climate progress out to the curb and leave it there — where the rest of us will pick it up and keep moving forward.
Although we’re facing a severe short term policy crisis, we’re also still up against a long term climate crisis. The science is clear, and the results even clearer: 2024 was the hottest year on record, and climate impacts such as extreme heatwaves and natural disasters are inescapable.
For the majority of Americans who want to see climate change solutions, the challenge now is to sustain progress and lay the groundwork for the future. The good news is that companies are still free to lead, and they must lead if they want to create strong customer affinity and minimize longer term risks.
Leadership during this period will take many forms. Our research shows that companies are poised to take creative approaches to climate advocacy.
In 2024, for the first time, we asked our certified companies how they engaged in climate advocacy. Their actions — spanning policy influence, employee education, and consumer engagement—demonstrated the versatile power of corporate leadership to drive climate momentum. Here’s what we learned:
These results astounded us: nearly our entire community was engaged in climate advocacy. We knew climate change had become a part of the consumer conversation, but didn’t expect to find it so pervasive. The numbers demonstrate a growing trend, independent of federal influence. Companies are stepping up because they recognize that their customers care deeply about climate change. Corporate climate advocacy has become a cornerstone of business strategy, and its impact is undeniable.
Corporate advocacy doesn’t just sustain momentum; it also furthers climate action. By engaging in climate advocacy, companies play a critical role in enabling future emission reductions by influencing policymakers, shaping public opinion, and laying the path for technology innovation. Here are some examples we saw from our community:
The results from our 2024 advocacy questionnaire underscore the critical potential of corporate climate advocacy, and offer impactful suggestions about how businesses can continue to flex their influence through direct financial contributions and information sharing. With more of the same from our community, and those of our partners and allies in this fight, we can be sure that climate change will stay top of mind, even if it’s at the bottom of the priority list for the new administration.
We can all take heart knowing that this action will persist, as we all face the long term prospects of worsening climate change. For the next four years, corporate climate advocacy will be crucial in keeping the conversation alive and progress on track.
Achieving The Climate Label Certification positions companies as leaders in the fight against climate change, even when federal policies falter. Certification verifies climate action, serving as a beacon of progress and a testament to the power of voluntary action.
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Addressing climate change head-on is now more urgent and important than ever. With regulatory efforts struggling to keep pace, businesses are uniquely positioned to take the lead in driving the transition to a net-zero future. This is where the concept of a Just Transition comes in.
Earlier this year, we announced that The Climate Label will become our certification mark in 2025. This new label will replace Climate Neutral Certified, and accompanies updates to the certification Standard.
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LifeStraw: Leading Climate Action Through Water Solutions
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