the climate justice role corporations need to take seriously
published 3.7.22
This is the first piece in our Climate Justice “With Not For” series. To meet our Climate Justice Advisors, click here.
When we talk about climate justice, we’re talking about all the ways historically marginalized and underserved communities feel the impact of climate change [way] more than the rest of us. In order to create real impact in this space, companies must listen to the humans who are feeling these impacts.
Without deep stakeholder engagement and partnership with the community, corporate efforts risk falling flat.
Corporations are the biggest emission contributors to climate change. And in 2020, Oxfam calculated 52% of cumulative carbon emissions were produced by the richest 10% of the world’s population, while the poorest 50% were responsible for 7% of the cumulative emissions.
The rise in climate action and social responsibility by corporations have led to accounting for their business’s GHG emissions to understand their impact, developing business climate action plans to track their progress, and operationalizing to net zero by 2050. These initiatives are important, but they do not address the realities people are experiencing today. All the corporate net zero commitments lose their core value if they’re not centered around the impact on communities.
The question corporations should be asking are:
How do we create resources and programs with and for climate frontline communities to help mitigate and adapt to the current climate impacts they are faced with?
What does corporate involvement look like from the community’s perspective?
Are we even the right player in this space or would we better serve communities by funneling resources to community organizations who are already working towards bespoke solutions?
The reality is that climate frontline communities are the experts in climate resilience, and the first step is making sure their voices are authentically represented in every boardroom decision. So who’s voices need to be represented when corporate climate justice actions are being set and implemented? Let’s start with communities of color, people living with disabilities, the elderly, under-resourced communities, low-income communities, indigenous people, the houseless, people living in isolation, and communities experiencing pressures from gentrification, chemical plants, industry, food deserts, to name a few.
In order to get community engagement “right”, here are some things to consider:
A community needs to be included, invited, and co-own the process, project, and action taken between corporations and communities.
Many communities are experiencing aid fatigue. Short-term engagement of corporate projects erodes any lingering hope and trust in the corporations. Long-term engagement supports the revitalization of community pride and care.
A community needs to sustain programs and resources to pass them down from generation to generation. Corporations need to set long-term community engagement plans and resources that grow a talent, knowledge, and relevant skills to create resilient change.
Communities thrive on unity and togetherness to establish or maintain networks, organizations, and programs. Corporations have a role to play there through direct funding.
If you’re just starting on the journey corporate —> community engagement journey, here are a few places to start:
Conduct an ethical climate justice community engagement studies to deepen your understanding through listening and engagement with the climate frontline community.
Create a long-term commitment budget plan to reinvest in communities that are still recovering from previous disasters.
Develop relationships with community based organizations by asking where your support is most needed. This may require waiting to be invited into the community after demonstrating an initial commitment.
Transform traditional marketing channels into disaster relief communication platforms and community awareness campaigns for pre, during, and post climate events.
Create nonprofit and for-profit local business grants programs that remove data information request barriers in order to provide immediate assistance. Refocus data collection that measures how quickly community members were given assistance and the added value to their quality of living.
Work with the community to design educational programs that close the digital tech divide, disaster preparation and recovery communication support, and increase well-being and community engagement - a few high opportunity areas.
Develop community infrastructure reinvestment funds to revitalize and promote healthy living built environments (build health centers, community centers, tech and communication programs, youth and adult leadership programs).
Climate justice is not all about disaster relief and recovery. It is about maintaining human health, a sense of connection, and access to resources that are managed autonomously to maintain a healthy, thriving and resilient community.
To learn more about our climate resilience work, visit our services page or contact us for more information. Thank you for reading.
by Montserrat Plascencia
Community Engagement Strategist
