The corporate climate conversation has done a quiet U-turn. Suddenly, 2030 – the milestone many have used as a competitive advantage to separate them from the 2050 crowd- is less than five years away, and panic has set in.

Amid an unpredictable business landscape (and a lot of distractions that help things go under the radar), companies worldwide are pulling back on climate commitments, including some of the most recognised brands. HSBC pushed its 2030 Net Zero target back to 2050. BP has upset shareholders by attempting to scale back its climate reporting. And over 200 companies – including Walmart, Microsoft and Unilever, were removed from the Science Based Targets Initiatives (SBTi) – one of the most important corporate decarbonisation frameworks, after failing to meet deadlines for submitting validated climate targets.

As businesses backpedal on climate commitments or adopt ‘Greenhushing’ – downplaying their climate action or stopping publicising it altogether - an opportunity emerges. If you are delivering on your climate commitments, now is the time to shout about it. It’s more of a niche than ever. 

Companies that communicate their progress clearly and credibly have the opportunity to own this space. Politics may shift, but the climate crisis doesn't. Those that continue to communicate their climate commitments will be the ones consumers, investors, and talent reach for when the conversation inevitably swings back. 

The floor is yours.