Climate Action
Roadmap
Introducing Our Roadmap
Consisting of 4 stages, 14 steps and over 100 suggested actions, this Roadmap will help members implement a successful climate action strategy.
The following roadmap infographic provides a quick overview of the climate action journey for our signatories. Click on each of the stages below to read more about the commitments and follow our suggested implementation actions.
-
Use Our Support Ecosystem To Help With The Implementation Of The Roadmap
To help you on your sustainability journey, we have created an online support ecosystem to make it easier to understand and implement all of the roadmap steps. Use the useful Knowledge Exchange articles and Partner Network directory to help with each step.
Get Insights At Our Knowledge Exchange
Use our Knowledge Exchange to read contributions from industry experts and the Techies Go Green community. Our roadmap guide below, features recommended articles.
Leverage Our Partner Network Directory
Search our Partner Network Directory to find candidate product and service suppliers to help implement your plans. Our roadmap guide below, offers partner network candidate options.
Use Our Roadmap To Help With Your B Corp Accreditation
B Corporation, also known as B Corp, is a private certification of for-profit companies for their environmental and social performance. In partnership with ENSO we have provided information about the potential points that can be earned by implementing many of our Roadmap steps. This guidance on accreditation can be used by charter signatories to help with their application process to qualify for B Corporation certification.
Example of the B Corporation logo issued to successful applicants
-
The Techies Go Green Climate Action Roadmap was created in partnership with ENSO
The Charter Commitments Explained
Stage One
Announce Goals And Advocate For Change
Step 1. Vision Statement
Compose a climate action vision statement which publicly declares your organisation’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enhance climate resilience, and promote sustainable development.
-
Your vision statement is a formal public declaration of your organisation's commitment to set and achieve this goal. Before setting a reduction target you should carry out a full greenhouse gas audit and drafting your climate action plan. It is the public nature of this vision statement that helps to focus the collective efforts of all stakeholders towards achieving this goal.
-
Be sure to engage all of the relevant stakeholders while drafting this statement to ensure that it is ambitious but achievable.
Your Net zero goals should be backed by verifiable actions and science that proves that you can actually achieve the targets you are setting
Engage with experts and other organisations that have started their net zero journeys to get insight on best practices.
-
B-Corp Alignment: Governance - Mission Statement
Potential B Corp Points: 0.75
Here are suggested candidate Partner Network solutions providers from our directory, to help with the implementation of this step.
Here are some Knowledge Exchange articles that can offer useful information and guidance on this topic.
Step 2. Advocacy
Explore opportunities to collaborate with relevant organisations to raise public awareness and support community efforts to address climate change mitigation and to help build greater climate change resilience among vulnerable groups.
-
It is vital that companies participate in initiatives outside of their own business. This means joining forces with others in the public, private and academic sectors to create the critical mass needed for wide-scale change. Get involved by supporting research and community education programmes and by advocating for policies and regulatory frameworks that can bring about society wide systemic change.
-
Identify your climate advocacy project: Climate action is a broad challenge so, in order to have a meaningful effect, it is important to narrow the focus of your advocacy on a specific climate advocacy project.
Collaborate with like-minded people or organisations: Your advocacy can be more effective when done in co-operation with other like-minded businesses or with a specialist sustainability organisation. Either join an existing group or reach out and create your own coalition of businesses.
Define Your Audience: When building a communication strategy around your chosen project, start by identifying what audience you’re trying to reach and influence.
Here are suggested candidate Partner Network solutions providers from our directory, to help with the implementation of this step.
-
Here are some Knowledge Exchange articles that can offer useful information and guidance on this topic.
Stage Two
Foster Leadership And Build A Sustainability Culture
Step 3. Climate Action Champion
Appoint and support one or more climate action champions to lead initiatives and to implement any organisational changes necessary to implement your company’s climate action goals.
-
While companies make the commitment to achieve net zero, many have not taken the next steps to translate their net-zero strategies into operational practices and assigning responsibility for the execution of these strategies. To address this issue, companies need to nominate a suitable person or persons and give them the authority and the resources to lead the development and execution of your decarbonisation strategy.
-
Create a climate action champion position with the necessary resources.
Form a green implementation team.
Start a conversation with stakeholders.
Host meetings.
Set up a management steering group.
Here are suggested candidate Partner Network solutions providers from our directory, to help with the implementation of this step.
Here are some Knowledge Exchange articles that can offer useful information and guidance on this topic.
Step 4. Promote Understanding
Clearly articulate your company’s climate action goals to your staff and relevant stakeholders. Promote ownership in their execution and encourage a proactive approach by individuals to achieve these goals.
-
To get the type of “buy-in” needed to properly execute your charter commitments, it is vital to involve all stakeholders from the start. All too often planning and accountability are centred at board or executive level instead of sharing responsibility more equally across your organisation. Inform stakeholders at all levels about your organisation’s declared policy. At all times promote dialogue and listen to feedback.
-
To get the greatest participation in your climate action initiatives, it is important to get buy-in from all stakeholders. Communicate the scale and importance of the challenge.
Invite dialogue and promote innovation.
Here are suggested candidate Partner Network solutions providers from our directory, to help with the implementation of this step.
Here are some Knowledge Exchange articles that can offer useful information and guidance on this topic.
Step 5. Education And Training
Provide opportunities for your staff to receive education and training in best practices to support your company’s climate action goals and to actively encourage and enable individuals to adopt these practices both at work and in their personal lives.
-
Introducing education and training courses is one of the most effective ways to quickly build a climate aware culture in your organisation and to equip all employees with the technical knowledge they need to successfully implement effective measures at company and role-specific levels. Courses can be organised either at in-house level or by using external training academies and accelerator programmes.
-
Increase awareness and participation in your sustainability strategy and related initiatives.
Organise team training & education initiatives to build up in-house expertise and a sustainability culture.
-
B-Corp Alignment: Workers - Career Development
Potential B Corp Points: 0.15 - 1.5
Here are suggested candidate Partner Network solutions providers from our directory, to help with the implementation of this step.
Here are some Knowledge Exchange articles that can offer useful information and guidance on this topic.
Step 6. Innovation And Collaboration
Foster a culture of innovation and collaboration in your workplace and seek greater staff input on improving data gathering, implementing decarbonisation initiatives and monitoring progress across the organisation.
-
Encouraging workplace innovation can help your company accelerate the implementation of your climate action goals. Fostering greater staff buy-in and taking advantage of their hands-on knowledge of their own workplace and work practices to improve climate action outcomes. Additionally, pro-innovation workplaces are happier workplaces with higher levels of employee satisfaction and retention.
-
Support and fund research and development activities.
Research sustainable options and circularity within the business.
Strengthen your response to climate change by collaborating with your team members, outside experts, and your stakeholders.
Share what worked for your organisation with others and learn from their successes to help overcome your challenges.
Here are suggested candidate Partner Network solutions providers from our directory, to help with the implementation of this step.
Here are some Knowledge Exchange articles that can offer useful information and guidance on this topic.
Step 7. Transparency And Disclosure
Introduce a policy of transparency and disclosure with your customers, investors and other stakeholders. Promote regular updates on your climate action activities, targets and performance.
-
To maintain the confidence and support of stakeholders including investors, customers, employees, and regulators, it is important to regularly disclose the progress of your climate action plan implementation. You should also provide information on the factors and metrics used to calculate your performance. Explain what needs to be changed or improved and how the success of these changes will be measured.
-
Use a clear and transparent methodology to identify the sources and accurately measure your organisation’s carbon footprint based on industry recognised metrics.
It is important to set science-based reduction targets to add further credibility in the process.
Regularly disclose progress and highlight any changes to your targets.
Within the company, build a culture of dialogue and openness among your staff by clearly communicating goals and, most importantly, getting regular feedback on any issues hindering progress.
Here are suggested candidate Partner Network solutions providers from our directory, to help with the implementation of this step.
-
Here are some Knowledge Exchange articles that can offer useful information and guidance on this topic.
Stage Three
Measure Carbon Footprint And Formulate An Action Plan
Step 8. Carbon Audit
Carry out an audit of your organisation’s current greenhouse gas emissions, including those produced directly and indirectly by your organisation, products, and activities, to establish a baseline for our climate action plan and to set a benchmark to determine the progress of your initiatives.
-
Your carbon audit provides a systematic and scientific approach to accounting for and reporting on your business GHG emissions and is the first step to identifying appropriate carbon reduction measures. It is the key metric to establish a base line for future planning and target setting. Additionally, for regulatory disclosure compliance, businesses will be required to report detailed information on their carbon footprint measurement.
-
Carry out a comprehensive operations wide audit of your organisation’s greenhouse gas emissions within clearly defined system boundaries.
Generate a detailed and actionable report based on the results.
Set out a schedule for regular follow up audits to monitor progress.
Any categories of Scope 3 emissions that are not measured should have valid justifications.
-
B Corp Alignment: Workers - Career Development
Potential B-Corp Points: 0.15 - 1.5
Here are suggested candidate Partner Network solutions providers from our directory, to help with the implementation of this step.
Here are some Knowledge Exchange articles that can offer useful information and guidance on this topic.
Step 9. Climate Change Adaptation
Investigate the risks to your organisation from negative climate change impacts and formulate plans to build greater resilience to these impacts within your organisation and your supply chain.
-
We are already locked into some level of climate change leading to environmental, economic and social disruption. This can lead to challenges such as interruptions to supply chains, changes in customer purchasing habits, weather related threats to power, communications, and buildings. For your business, adapting to climate change means taking action now to prepare for potential impacts on your future operations.
-
Carry out a physical survey to assess the risk levels of flooding to your buildings and access roads based in a range extreme weather scenarios.
Ensure your business has a resilient data and online services backup and recovery plan with cloud and other off-site options?
Ensure your building has adequate cooling capacity based on various heatwave scenarios.
Have a work from home plan developed for all departments to minimise risk to employees during extreme weather events.
Consider whether you need to install or have access to a generator capable of running critical services.
Here are suggested candidate Partner Network solutions providers from our directory, to help with the implementation of this step.
-
Here are some Knowledge Exchange articles that can offer useful information and guidance on this topic.
Step 10. Climate Action Plan
Develop a comprehensive climate action plan which provides detailed strategies and actions to mitigate your company’s greenhouse gas emissions along with your climate adaptation plans. Set verifiable science-based targets based on your carbon audit data findings.
-
A climate action plan is essential for success. The preceding audit process will have quantified the direct and indirect emissions for your business and provided a better understanding of its sources and challenges. Develop a climate action plan which sets out in detail how your business intends to cut its greenhouse gas emissions. This plan will set science-based targets and clear timelines along with metrics for assessing their success.
-
Appoint a manager to oversee the formulation of an organisation wide plan to include inputs for all stakeholders.
Set out a clear roadmap for all areas of your operations and involve all stakeholders in the development of this plan.
Generate a comprehensive report on the sources of greenhouse gas emissions and their causes based on the carbon footprint audit data gathered.
Establish a baseline or fixed point of reference that can be used for comparison purposes. This can be based on your audit report results and that date. Success can be measured against these baseline numbers.
Tailor the methods and metrics for measuring progress to suit your organisation.
Engage with all in-house and external stakeholders to develop proactive carbon reduction initiatives.
Here are suggested candidate Partner Network solutions providers from our directory, to help with the implementation of this step.
Here are some Knowledge Exchange articles that can offer useful information and guidance on this topic.
Step 11. Target Announcement
Set and announce your organisation’s emissions reduction target as set against the baseline year in our climate action plan and set a date for achieving this goal. Add this to your corporate vision statement and promotional media.
-
Publicly announcing a credible, science-based emissions reduction target demonstrates your company’s commitment to climate action and builds credibility among your customers, suppliers and financiers. These newly defined targets can be used to update your corporate vision statement and promotional material. A public declaration will help focus minds to succeed in achieving this goal.
-
Set a realistic target: It is important to set a date and reduction target which is backed up with a carefully scheduled timetable of actions and milestones based on your audit and action plan criteria.
Be ambitious: While being realistic in your goals, it is easier to keep your stakeholders highly focussed by setting ambitious targets that require careful attention.
Here are suggested candidate Partner Network solutions providers from our directory, to help with the implementation of this step.
Here are some Knowledge Exchange articles that can offer useful information and guidance on this topic.
Stage Four
Implement Plans And Monitor Progress
Step 12. Implementation
Implement all the measures as specified in your company’s climate action plan to verifiably achieve our stated greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets and adaptation plans.
-
Translating your climate action plan into operational practices and assigning responsibility for the execution of their strategies at all levels is key to its success. Good implementation also means supporting your staff to undertake changes in their lifestyles both at work and at home and encourage work-based employee-led groups to identify and implement ideas for improvement.
-
Lower digital emissions created through our digital assets and our online data generating activities.
Minimise the amount of waste produced by implementing repair, re-use, recycle, and compost policies.
Introduce energy efficiency measures by introducing conservation policies and upgrading our premises with better thermal insulation and installing more energy efficient equipment.
As part of your businesses Scope 2 emissions reduction plan, it is critical to remove most or all of your fossil fuel generated electricity.
Business Travel: Minimise business travel and commuting emissions by promoting the use of low emission options for all staff.
Commercial Transport: Lower the commercial transport emissions related to the delivery of your inputs and your finished products.
-
Commercial Transport
B Corp Alignment: Environment - Air and Climate
Potential B-Corp Points: 0.13 - 0.46
Circular Economy Policies
B Corp Alignment: Environment - Environmental Management
Potential B-Corp Points: 0.47 - 1.4
Scope 3 Emissions
B Corp Alignment: Environment - Air and Climate
Potential B-Corp Points: 0.33 - 0.67
Energy Efficiency
B Corp Alignment: Environment - Air and Climate
Potential B-Corp Points: 0.33 - 3
Business Travel & Commuting
B Corp Alignment: Environment - Air and Climate
Potential B-Corp Points: 0.17- 0.67
Waste Reduction
B Corp Alignment: Environment - Land & Life
Potential B-Corp Points: 1-2
Digital Emissions
B Corp Alignment: Environment - Air and Climate & Environmental Management
Potential B-Corp Points: 0.47 - 2.54
Here are suggested candidate Partner Network solutions providers from our directory, to help with the implementation of this step.
Here are some Knowledge Exchange articles that can offer useful information and guidance on this topic.
![Creating your Sustainability Strategy with Dr. Tara Shine [LIVE WEBINAR]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/602be08e610d6f1042ec9219/1683681739219-3219PRDCHAIM6WB37ZBB/TechiesGoGreen%2BBlog%2Bimage%2B%2865%29.jpg)
![Google, Emissions, and their Ecosystem of Sustainability Partners [LIVE WEBINAR]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/602be08e610d6f1042ec9219/1683682090367-QNX473Q5R6WS1MG1PMSZ/TechiesGoGreen%2BBlog%2Bimage%2B%2857%29.jpg)
![Be Prepared For What's Coming Next: EU & UK Sustainability Legislation and Its Impact [LIVE WEBINAR]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/602be08e610d6f1042ec9219/1683682484296-SRYLBG2R8TZCDVXQ72L6/TechiesGoGreen%2BBlog%2Bimage%2B%2851%29.jpg)
![How the IT industry can Shape a More Sustainable Future with Citrix & IGEL [LIVE WEBINAR]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/602be08e610d6f1042ec9219/1683682844378-IW7V6Z7YLD6S46V0WY33/TechiesGoGreen%2BBlog%2Bimage%2B%2846%29.jpg)
Step 13. Monitoring And Reporting
Monitor the implementation of your organisation’s climate action plan and measure achievements against your science-based criteria. Adjust our plans where necessary and report on our progress on a regular basis.
-
This process should assess the effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability of the plan’s implementation and measure outcomes against science-based criteria. It will also enable regular informed adjustments and improvements to the plan to achieve better outcomes. Tracking performance against your baseline and targets over a number of years will produce a wealth of data and facilitate better decision making.
-
Identify relevant qualitative and quantitative metrics that you can keep track of on a regular basis.
Report your progress on our sustainability goals regularly in as much detail as possible.
Deliver these reports to all relevant stakeholders and will be made publicly available.
Here are suggested candidate Partner Network solutions providers from our directory, to help with the implementation of this step.
Here are some Knowledge Exchange articles that can offer useful information and guidance on this topic.
Step 14. Towards Net Zero
Once your organisation has achieved its stated emissions targets, investigate new opportunities to further reduce your greenhouse gas emissions with the aim of achieving full net-zero status and set an updated deadline for achieving this goal.
-
There is a strong moral case to set a much earlier date than mid-century to achieve net-zero at your company. Your business can be at the forefront of this endeavour. Additionally, achieving net zero status can make your business more resilient while establishing a brand reputation as a climate action leader.
-
Measure the remaining emissions. The accepted standard is that Net zero means cutting your business greenhouse gas emissions by at least 90% of total emissions with the final 10% or less of residual emissions being verifiably removed from the atmosphere and stored.
Reaching Net-Zero requires careful measurement, planning and setting recognised science based targets.
As a rule, Scope 3 emissions accounts for the majority of your total greenhouse gas emissions. It is also the emissions category that can prove the most difficult to eliminate. Isolate and identify as many of the scope 3 emission sources as possible.
Carbon offsets can be a complex and hard to verify sector. Should you wish to purchase carbon credits or invest directly in forestry options, you should carefully vet the projects and be sure their claims are valid and long term.
Here are suggested candidate Partner Network solutions providers from our directory, to help with the implementation of this step.
Here are some Knowledge Exchange articles that can offer useful information and guidance on this topic.
Not A Member Yet? – Join Techies Go Green Today
If your business wishes to take meaningful action to cut its carbon footprint and become sustainable, join our community of businesses. Membership is FREE to join. Take advantage of the ongoing support initiatives for our members.