Press releases from the coalition

We Mean Business Coalition and B Lab Join Forces to Drive Company Progress to Net Zero

2 May 2023, LONDON – Leading nonprofits We Mean Business Coalition and B Lab today announced a new partnership to help companies around the world accelerate progress in cutting greenhouse gas emissions. The collaboration is in pursuit of their shared objective of halving global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030 and achieving net zero emissions by mid-century at the latest. 

Both organizations recognize the central role of businesses to deliver climate solutions and achieve a just transition to net zero. Together, they will work to share technical expertise on climate leadership to drive business ambition, action, advocacy and accountability. 

This new partnership between B Lab and We Mean Business Coalition will allow the organizations to develop tools and guidance for businesses, in order to speed up emissions reduction in line with the latest science. 

United by their science-led response to climate change and their shared belief in climate as a mainstream economic and social issue that will shape humanity’s future, both partners are also focused on strengthening corporate governance through knowledge sharing and driving a supportive global policy environment which facilitates rapid corporate decarbonization. 

We Mean Business Coalition brings together a group of nonprofit organizations to accelerate an inclusive transition to a global net zero economy by working with the world’s most influential businesses to drive corporate net zero leadership. 

With more than 6,500 Certified B Corporations (B Corps) across 89 countries, B Lab brings expertise in economic systems change as well as learnings on the most effective standards, policies, and tools to shift company behaviour and culture, challenging the very structure of capitalism as we know it. 

One of the central areas of this partnership is the collaboration between B Lab and the SME Climate Hub. This will see more small and medium-sized businesses signposted to essential guidance on how best to take climate action and build resilience, further accelerating the growing wave of new net zero commitments from this sector of the economy. The SME Climate Hub is an initiative of the We Mean Business Coalition, the Exponential Roadmap Initiative and the United Nations Race to Zero campaign in collaboration with Normative and the Net Zero team at Oxford University.

“The latest IPCC warnings are stark and clear, we need immediate action from governments, investors, and companies to drive rapid action towards net zero,” said Maria Mendiluce, CEO, We Mean Business Coalition. “This is our last chance to limit warming to 1.5°C and decisive action is needed today to cut emissions and transition to a net zero economy powered by a global clean energy system. By partnering with B Lab, we ensure that a greater number of companies big and small can access the guidance they need to achieve net zero, while fostering business accountability and leadership.”

“Climate action that centres justice for marginalized communities is not only a moral imperative, it’s really a business imperative for companies of all sizes, in all industries,” says Eleanor Allen, Lead Executive, B Lab Global. “Businesses need standards and tools to guide the way to decarbonize and transform our economic system. That’s why I’m thrilled that B Lab is formalizing our partnership with We Mean Business Coalition after years of collaborating with the Coalition’s organizations on various initiatives including Imperative 21 and the B Corp Climate Collective. We have a long history and road ahead together as partners in accelerating climate action. As we say in the B Corp movement, let’s get to work.”      

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NOTES TO EDITORS 

We Mean Business Coalition 

We Mean Business Coalition works with the world’s most influential businesses to take action on climate change. The Coalition is a group of seven nonprofit organizations: BSR, CDP, Ceres, Climate Group, CLG Europe, The B Team and WBCSD. Together, we catalyze business and policy action to halve emissions by 2030 and accelerate an inclusive transition to a net-zero economy. Find out more at wemeanbusinesscoalition.org.

B Lab  

B Lab is transforming the global economy to benefit all people, communities, and the planet. A leader in economic systems change, our global network creates standards, policies, tools, and programs for business, and we certify companies — known as B Corps — who are leading the way. To date, our community includes over 500,000 workers in over 6,500 B Corps across 80 countries and 150 industries, and more than 200,000 companies manage their impact with the B Impact Assessment and the SDG Action Manager. B Lab has created and led efforts to pass over 50 corporate statutes globally that enable stakeholder governance, with over 10,000 companies using the legal framework. To learn more and join the movement, visit www.bcorporation.net.

Contacts

Josh Harris, +44 7739 021000, [email protected]

Tara Burke, +44 7747 745675, [email protected]