Climate crisis requires boards to put climate transition at the heart of corporate strategy

As the global UN COP26 climate talks commence in Glasgow, the international Climate Governance Initiative (CGI) has called on board directors across the world to place the climate transition at the heart of corporate strategy and board decision-making. In a statement released today, the CGI points to warnings from Mark Carney and others that the climate crisis poses the ‘single greatest threat to global financial stability’ and urges board directors to rapidly skill up in order to confront the climate emergency.

Set up in association with the World Economic Forum in 2019, the Climate Governance Initiative network represents over 100,000 board directors across more than 20 major economies, with the capability to influence trillions of dollars of capital through the companies they serve.

The statement notes that the impact of the climate crisis ‘will be felt by all companies, posing major short, medium and long-term risks and requiring boards to put climate change at the heart of their strategy, risk management and disclosure processes.’

It calls on board directors to ‘play a part in the global response to climate change’, emphasising the critical role of board directors in the transition to a net-zero future.

Karina Litvack, Chairman of the Climate Governance Initiative said:  

“We welcome the fact that growing numbers of directors around the world have understood the gravity of the climate crisis and have committed to taking a leadership role in improving climate governance on their boards. We represent an important new wave of climate champions who have significant influence, and we are ready to step up to accelerate the pace of change needed to deliver a net-zero economy in our lifetime.”

The Climate Governance Initiative statement states that ‘now is a crucial time for boards to be engaging with the impacts of climate change and making long-term plans for the future. This includes ensuring that their business strategy is resilient in a zero emissions future and the executive team has the skills to deliver it.’  The Climate Governance Initiative gives board directors the skills they need to advocate for their companies to accelerate their net-zero journey, by drawing on the eight Climate Governance Principles published by the World Economic Forum.

Local director networks that make up the Climate Governance Initiative, known as Chapters, are ‘building a community of climate conscious directors who are committed to developing the skills, processes and understanding necessary for them to fulfil their fiduciary duties in the long-term service of their organisations.’

Read the full statement

Supporting Chapters and Chapter Hosts

• Australian Institute of Company Directors, host of Climate Governance Initiative Australia
• Chapter Zero Brazil
• Chapter Zero Brussels
• Chapter Zero Canada
• Institute of Corporate Directors, host of Chapter Zero Canada
• Chapter Zero Chile
• Chapter Zero France
• Climate Governance Initiative Germany
• Chapter Zero Italy
• Climate Governance Malaysia
• Chapter Zero México
• Boards Impact Forum
• Chapter Zero Poland
• Responsible Business Forum, host of Chapter Zero Poland
• Chapter Zero Romania
• Asociatia Administratorilor Independenti, host of Chapter Zero Romania
• Climate Governance Initiative Russia
• Climate Governance Singapore
• Chapter Zero Switzerland
• Chapter Zero, the UK Chapter
• Centre for Climate Engagement, host of Chapter Zero, the UK Chapter
• National Association of Corporate Directors, host of the US Chapter

Additional supporters

• African Corporate Governance Network
• Cercle des Administrateurs
• European Confederation of Directors Associations
• Institute of Corporate Directors, Malaysia
• Institute of Directors, India
• Institute of Directors, Kenya
• Institute of Directors, New Zealand
• Institute of Directors, South Africa
• Institut Français des Administratrices et des Administrateurs engagés, France
• Myanmar Institute of Directors
• Singapore Institute of Directors
• Swiss Institute of Directors
• Vietnamese Institute of Directors

About the Climate Governance Initiative

The Climate Governance Initiative mobilises boards of directors around the world to address climate change in their businesses. We do this by developing and supporting national associations that equip their members with the skills and knowledge needed to make climate a boardroom priority building on the World Economic Forum’s Principles for Effective Climate Governance.

The collective membership of the Climate Governance Initiative is over 100,000 individuals who influence trillions of dollars of capital through the companies they serve.

The Climate Governance Initiative is hosted by the Centre for Climate Engagement at Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge which provides the role of secretariat. 

Find out more at climate-governance.org