Skip to Content Back to home Skip to Navigation

Responsible Policy Engagement (RPE)

Companies with ambitious climate targets need supportive policies to deliver them. The RPE program helps companies align their advocacy with transition plans.

RPE Framework

Advocacy that delivers on climate ambition

By leading on policy engagement, companies can help create the supportive policies and regulations they need to unlock the benefits of clean electrification and climate resilience, build regulatory certainty, reduce business risks and unlock long-term value.

To help more companies practice RPE, the Coalition and partners developed the RPE Framework – and continue to build on it with new tools and resources.

We also make recommendations to policymakers on how they can foster accountability, and lead thinking on gaps and opportunities in corporate advocacy.

See all RPE resources

Advocacy that delivers on climate ambition

Drivers of RPE

From delivering transition plans to meeting new disclosure standards, several forces are pushing responsible policy engagement up the corporate agenda.

image description
Achieving transition plans

Thousands of companies have set climate targets but delivering them requires implementing policies that make those targets achievable.

image description
Investor pressure

Investors increasingly treat misaligned corporate political activity as a material risk, while transparency on sustainability commitments signals credible climate leadership and attracts investment.

image description
Enhanced scrutiny

From greenwashing risk to CDP disclosures, increased scrutiny on climate deliverables is making policy alignment a non-negotiable marker of credibility.

image description
New standards

Climate advocacy is increasingly formalized. Updated guidelines and strengthened reporting requirements mean that credibility is now a standard companies must meet.

What is responsible policy engagement?

A concept first introduced by Ceres, RPE is defined as external corporate policy engagement that recognizes the threat of climate inaction and supports policy interventions and investments that support corporate transition plans.

See the steps in full

What is responsible policy engagement?

Iberdrola is very determined in its climate advocacy actions and has developed a robust and clear framework to tackle the potential misalignments of the stakeholders we engage with as a key element of this ambitious approach. An intense and action-oriented focus with our stakeholders’ ecosystem is essential to move forward towards a decarbonized and competitive economy.

Gonzalo Sáenz de Miera, Global Director of Climate Change and Alliances, Iberdrola

When companies don’t pay attention to where their advocacy dollars are going, they can end up funding positions that work against their own strategy. At Fortescue, being transparent about our industry associations and advocacy spend helps us focus on the relationships that matter most and have more honest conversations about the changes needed to accelerate the energy transition. Good advocacy isn’t just about having a position. It’s about making sure your actions, partnerships and investments are all pulling in the same direction.

Bronwyn Grieve, Director Global Sustainability & External Affairs, Fortescue

We have been on a responsible policy engagement journey over the past few years. We started with an open letter from our CEO to trade associations, reaffirming our commitment to the Paris Agreement and inviting them to share their stance. Since then, we have analysed the climate policy positions of our largest trade groups and published our findings. We believe this should become a standard part of climate disclosure. This will help show which companies face similar challenges with trade groups, whether by location, industry, or value chain.

Many companies are doing the right thing on climate—they've set ambitious targets and have a plan to deliver them. Which is why key decision makers in a business need to know if their companies are in trade associations that are aligned with their climate policies or not and working towards the same goals.

Hannah Hislop, Head of Sustainability & Climate, Unilever

For us at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, speaking up starts with alignment internally. When Public Affairs is grounded in how the business operates, we bring more than a position – we bring evidence of what works in practice to achieve those goals.

Jo Twigg, Head of Sustainability Policy & Advocacy, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners

RPE in the EU: Guidance for companies & policymakers

A new publication from the Coalition and CLG Europe highlights the actions of leading European companies putting RPE in action. It reviews the corporate advocacy regulatory requirements available in the EU today and how companies should engage with them.

It also offers recommendations for trade associations and policymakers that could help raise the bar for responsible corporate advocacy in Europe.

Download the report

RPE in the EU: Guidance for companies & policymakers

See more of our work on RPE

RPE in the EU: Amplifying genuine business voices in Europe

The companies investing in Europe’s clean transition are being drowned out by those most invested in the status quo.
Read more

What Can the EU’s ‘Made in/with Europe’ Debate Learn from the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act?

Four lessons from the U.S. IRA for getting ‘Made in/with Europe’ right under the Industrial Accelerator Act.
Read more

Harnessing the power of public affairs to accelerate transition plan delivery

By aligning the public affairs function with climate goals, companies can strengthen their own transition plan delivery.
Read more

From Belém to Brussels: How European companies can keep up the pressure on climate policy

The age of electrification and clean energy is here. Companies must make their voices heard on the policies needed to remove barriers.
Read more

Joining forces: Leveraging trade associations for policy change that drives business success

Policy engagement is critical to turning corporate transition plans into action.
Read more

Business call for accountability to raise advocacy standards

A unifying call from the business community to encourage companies and trade and industry groups to improve advocacy standards.
Read more

Corporate climate policy engagement: reporting template

Our reporting template supports companies in their RPE disclosure with guidance on how to draft a corporate climate policy engagement report
Read more

The RPE Framework turns one as the Corporate Climate Advocacy Landscape Continues to Evolve

As the RPE framework marks its first birthday, how is the corporate climate advocacy landscape changing?
Read more

Additional Information

See more of the reasons why we work on Responsible Policy Engagement.

  • The ambition loop

    Business will be central to the delivery of national climate targets for emissions reductions. Effective collaboration and transparent information-sharing between companies and policymakers will help create the policies, regulations and finance mechanisms necessary to decarbonize energy, transport, heavy industry and other sectors.

    And, as the ambition loop between business and policymakers accelerates action, these well-designed policies will enable companies to deliver on their own climate targets as they develop the technologies and services needed for the net zero economies of the future.

  • What are the key drivers of RPE?

    Achieving transition plans: Thousands of companies have set science-based climate targets and developed transition plans. Delivering on these targets requires looking beyond direct operations. Through transition planning, companies should identify key enabling policies supporting their climate goals. Policy helps make targets achievable by creating market incentives, reducing investment risks and unlocking new growth opportunities. 

    Investor pressure: Investors increasingly view misaligned corporate political activity as material risk undermining long-term value and signaling poor governance. Transparency and alignment between sustainability commitments and advocacy indicate credible climate leadership. Aligned companies attract capital, maintain investor confidence, and strengthen market reputation. The Global Standard on Responsible Climate Lobbying supports companies in meeting these expectations.

    Enhanced scruntiny: Enhanced scrutiny of climate advocacy has grown as civil society, governments and oversight bodies examine alignment between commitments and policy engagement. Companies face increasing pressure from potential greenwashing campaigns to regulatory actions. A UN commission recommended stronger advocacy as essential for credible climate commitments. Groups like InfluenceMap are tracking activity while ratings bodies like CDP consider climate lobbying in disclosures. 

    New standards: Corporate climate advocacy standards are becoming increasingly formalized. Leading international institutions have strengthened lobbying expectations, including UN’s Recognition and Accountability Framework and OECD’s Responsible Business Conduct Guidelines. Updates are underway for advocacy requirements in established climate standards from GSSB, ISO, and SBTi. Under the EU’s CSRD (ESRS G1.5), companies are starting to report on corporate advocacy activities. 

  • What are the business benefits of practicing RPE?

    In addition to the external factors driving companies to match their political influence with ambitious climate policy goals, there is a strong business case for practicing RPE.

    • Commercial opportunities
      With the right climate policies in place, companies can unlock new markets and industries, fueling growth, competitiveness, and long-term value.

    • Risk reduction
      Robust policy is essential for mitigating climate-related risks to businesses and the economy. Strong policies at a national level raise global ambition, and spur action on other countries.

    • Cost savings
      Swift action is critical to address the climate crisis at the lowest possible cost. The longer governments delay, the more drastic and expensive the inevitable policy response will be.

    • Emissions reductions
      A company’s success in meeting its climate goals may depend on government policies that, for example, increase access to low-carbon energy or reduce emissions economy-wide.

    • Stakeholder expectations
      Investors are increasingly asking companies to align their lobbying with the goals of the Paris Agreement. Climate leadership is becoming a key factor in attracting and retaining employees. And consumers expect businesses to be part of the solution to climate change, not working against it.

    • Regulatory stability & engagement
      Prolonged uncertainty and ever-changing policies are bad for business. By contrast, clear and predictable policies enable long-term planning and investment. Companies that engage early will have an opportunity to shape these responses.

    • A level playing field
      Comprehensive climate policy ensures that all businesses play by the same rules, so companies that lead in reducing emissions aren’t undercut by laggards.

    • Reputational benefits
      Aligning advocacy with climate goals reinforces that climate is a material business issue — one that directly affects profitability, competitiveness, and long-term resilience. By treating climate policy engagement as core to business success, companies strengthen their credibility with stakeholders and protect their license to operate.

Back to top