CBSR launches Canadian Net-Zero Leadership Board to curtail global warming (Courtesy, CBSR)

Canadian Business for Social Responsibility (CBSR), a leading not-for-profit sustainability association, launched Canada’s first net-zero leaderboard to help curtail global warming by tracking and providing information on Canadian companies’ commitments to climate action. With a goal of reaching net-zero by 2050, the initiative aims to inspire Canadians to take action while recording their progress.

The platform will be publicly accessible and will allow people to find information in the following categories:

-Industry

-Targets and timeframes

-Emission scopes included (i.e., Scope 1, 2 etc.)

-Interim targets

-Whether the goal is aligned with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)

-Whether the company plans to use offsets to meet its target

Aligned with the Delphi Group, the association will regularly update the leaderboard to ensure that it is comprehensive while expanding the scope of information that is included.

“Canadian business leadership on reducing emissions will help us transform our economy and ensure Canada remains competitive on the global stage,” said Ted Ferguson, managing director, CBSR, and chief sustainability officer for the group of organizations that includes CBSR, The Delphi Group, GLOBE Series, and Leading Change Canada, in a release.

“Setting a target is a critical step on the road to net-zero, and setting up a one-stop-shop for information will showcase and accelerate Canadian leadership. We’re looking forward to working with companies from across Canada to close the gap between ambition and action.”

Establishing emissions targets

The public can use the Canadian Net-Zero Leadership Board to verify whether a particular company’s goals are aligned with the SBTi, which aims to encourage climate reduction in the private sector by enabling companies to set science-based emissions reduction targets on its website. These targets provide more than 1,000 companies currently working with SBTi with a clear path to achieving their global warming-reduction goals as outlined in the Paris Agreement.

The Paris Agreement was adopted by 196 Parties at the 21^st Conference of the Parties (COP 21) in Paris on December 2015 and was entered into force on November 4, 2016. The Agreement sets out to keep global temperatures below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels to reduce and avoid dangerous levels of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

“At Enbridge, we’re committed to delivering the energy mix of today and tomorrow, building a bridge to our energy future as we focus on achieving company-wide net-zero emissions by 2050,” said Pete Sheffield, chief sustainability officer, Enbridge, in a release.

“Setting GHG emissions targets and investing in innovation across the entire energy system will help us contribute to a cleaner and more sustainable future. We believe the Net-Zero Leaderboard [Board] is a critical platform for sharing key information on these targets across sectors.”

It takes a village — or in this case the entire world

The Net-Zero Leadership Board is the result of a culmination of efforts, not only by the companies who participate in the program but also by the multiple companies that are responsible for the initiative, including GLOBE Series, EXCEL Partnership, Leading Change and Delphi Group.

The Leaderboard is part of Destination Net-Zero, “Canada’s how-to hub for net-zero commitments and strategies,” which is comprised of tools, events and services that CBSR provides, along with its affiliates, to motivate companies to participate in and achieve the world’s net-zero goals.

The hub includes GLOBE’s Destination Net-Zero-themed event series — which will include the GLOBE Forum in Vancouver in February 2022 — two CBSR groups focused on developing and achieving targets; Delphi’s advisory services on developing, executing, and communicating net-zero strategies; and Leading Change Canada’s curated conversations between sustainability leaders and executives.

Companies hoping to participate in the program can apply by filling out the following form. Corporations already involved in the initiative include Bell, Enbridge and Maple Leaf Foods.

“As a leading Canadian business in responding to climate change, Bell welcomes the launch of Canada’s Net-Zero Leaderboard Board and the opportunity to engage other Canadian companies on the road to net-zero,” said Marc Duchesne, vice president, corporate security & responsibility, Bell, in a release.

“We are proud to be the first communications company in North America to have its energy management system certified to the ISO 50001 standard.”

These days a lot of companies are pledging commitments to net-zero emissions; however, to achieve such a feat requires leadership, commitment and organization, all of which CBSR aims to provide with its leaderboard.

The board will also hold companies accountable for their commitments and help standardize the global language used for climate targets, which will help keep the entire planet on the same page, as we strive toward reaching the same goal of achieving a sustainable future.