Companies with ambitious climate targets need supportive policies in place to deliver them, but there is a clear gap between the scale of corporate climate ambition and the number of companies practicing RPE.
The RPE Framework equips businesses with practical guidance and examples of best practice to match their climate strategies with advocacy efforts. The first version of the Framework, available here as a pdf, was published in 2023. The resources on this page are live and act as an up-to-date library for companies practicing RPE.
The RPE Framework is the result of a year-long, collaborative process led by the We Mean Business Coalition and our partners. It consists of a practical guide to conducting RPE and a library of resources to help companies implement RPE and navigate existing standards.
The Framework raises the bar on RPE practice, improve alignment and ultimately increase the number of companies advocating responsibly to policymakers. It is the foundation of our RPE program, which also includes work to highlight best practice and identify opportunities to further advance the practice of RPE.
Make a public commitment to advocate for ambitious climate policy and engage key stakeholders.
Corporate climate leaders embed advocacy into their core strategy. They are keenly aware of the business benefits of a thriving decarbonized economy, which can’t be achieved without strong public policy. They make their position clear and activate internal and external stakeholders.
PUBLICLY PROMOTE YOUR COMMITMENT TO ADVANCING HIGH-IMPACT CLIMATE POLICY
Summary: As part of COP27 in 2022, 57 companies endorsed an Action Declaration to Paris-align their climate policy engagement activities, including taking direct and indirect action.
Geography: Global
Year & org: 2022, Corporate Knights
Use to: See an example of companies making a public commitment to take action to address direct and indirect policy engagement.
Global standard cross-reference: 1, 3
Summary: This brief presents advice from two companies and one NGO on how they practice and/or observe RPE, including advice, challenges, and how RPE connects to climate justice outcomes.
Geography: Global
Year & org: 2022, Transform to Net Zero
Use to: Understand applied examples of RPE in action, draw inspiration and consider lessons learned from first movers. See p. 12 for key takeaways.
Global standard cross-reference: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 11, 14
Summary: Recaps Nestlé's approach to RPE, covering its climate policy positions, direct advocacy activities and how it reviews trade association alignment on climate.
Geography: Global
Year & org: 2025, Nestlé
Use to: Understand an applied example of RPE from a large, global consumer goods company.
Global standard cross-reference: 1, 3, 11, 12, 14
ESTABLISH GOVERNANCE, DECISION-MAKING AND REVIEW PROCESSES ON CLIMATE LOBBYING
Summary: This report offers recommendations on how to establish systems that address climate change as a systemic risk and integrate this understanding into direct and indirect lobbying.
Geography: USA
Year & org: 2020, Ceres
Use to: Consider adoption of the “Assess, Govern, Act” framework. Use the “questions to consider” callout boxes to guide development of your company’s RPE procedures.
Global standard cross-reference: 3, 4, 5, 10, 12
Summary: This set of principles for Corporate Political Responsibility is developed in nonpartisan collaboration with business leaders and diverse stakeholders. Not exclusive to climate.
Geography: USA
Year & org: 2023, The Erb Institute (University of Michigan)
Use to: Consider adoption/endorsement of the principles. Join the associated taskforce for support from peers and experts to act on the principles and use as foundation for RPE procedures.
Global standard cross-reference: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Summary: Business for Nature is a global coalition of businesses and conservation groups calling for governments to adopt policies to reverse nature loss.
Geography: Global
Year & org: Active, Business for Nature
Use to: Access education, opportunities to sign-on to campaigns, and amplify pro-nature messages.
Global standard cross-reference: 11
GET MANAGEMENT, DIRECTORS AND EMPLOYEES ON BOARD, AND INFORM SUPPLIERS AND CUSTOMERS
Summary: This report offers guidance on engagement between investors and companies regarding political lobbying and donations. Not exclusive to climate issues.
Geography: Global
Year & org: 2017, International Corporate Governence Network
Use to: Establish a framework and procedures, board oversight, transparency and disclosure, and get shareholder approval regarding political activity. See p. 14.
Global standard cross-reference: 2, 4, 5, 6, 7
Summary: This report discusses the most common challenges companies face in practicing RPE and recommends solutions for overcoming these barriers.
Geography: USA
Year & org: 2021, World Resources Institute
Use to: Understand barriers and better predict likely pain points in the adoption of RPE practices and procedures. See pps. 16-18 for recommended strategies.
Global standard cross-reference: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
Summary: This update builds on Unilever’s 2023 review and outlines how Unilever reviews its climate lobbying to ensure alignment with climate goals and internal governance procedures.
Geography: Global
Year & org: 2025, Unilever
Use to:: A best-in-class example of RPE processes and reporting. See pps. 10-12 for Unilever’s policy engagement in action.
Global standard cross-reference: All
Publicly advocate for bold science-based climate policies, and call out those that obstruct the 1.5°C pathway
Businesses must clearly and confidently make the case for rapid decarbonization policies at the international, national, sub-national and sectoral levels, and not lobby against them. This helps drive the ‘ambition loop’: growing corporate action spurs governments to set stronger policies that help businesses achieve their climate goals faster.
DIRECTLY ENGAGE WITH POLICYMAKERS ACROSS GEOGRAPHIES, BACKED WITH EVIDENCE
Summary: This is a living document with policy analysis, evidence, best practice, opportunities and messaging to support companies that want to engage in EU advocacy.
Geography: European Union
Year & org: Active, CLG Europe
Use to: Review examples of prior corporate RPE activities to inform and inspire your company’s future engagement.
Global standard cross-reference: 11
Summary: This framework was developed by a coalition of NGOs with three elements of corporate climate policy leadership: Advocate, Align, and Allocate.
Geography: USA
Year & org: 2019, multiple
Use to: Review leadership standards as defined by U.S. NGOs, including the business case for climate policy and key actions for getting started.
Global standard cross-reference: N / A
Summary: This report outlines the climate policies needed after the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act to close the gap with the U.S. commitment under the Paris Agreement.
Geography: USA
Year & org: 2022, ClimateVoice
Use to: Better understand what policy solutions are effective to address the climate crisis.
Global standard cross-reference: N / A
MOBILIZE YOUR NETWORKS AND COLLABORATE WITH PEERS AND SUPPLIERS; COMMUNICATE; GUIDE INDUSTRY GROUPS
Summary: The Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy (BICEP) group guides companies in voicing their support for U.S. climate policies needed to unlock economic opportunity.
Geography: USA
Year & org: Active, Ceres
Use to: Access education, support, and opportunities to advocate for climate policies at the state and federal levels.
Global standard cross-reference: 1, 11
Summary: The Corporate Leaders Groups in the UK & EU are constituted by companies who seek promote ambitious and practical policy outcomes.
Geography: United Kingdom, European Union
Year & org: Active, University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL)
Use to: Access education, support, and opportunities to advocate for climate policies in support of a climate neutral economy.
Global standard cross-reference: 1, 11
Summary: Powered by InfluenceMap, this platform highlights responsible, science-aligned climate policy and advocacy opportunities for companies with a LobbyMap score of C+ or higher.
Geography: Global
Year & org: Active, InfluenceMap
Use to: Join a community of companies, industry groups, and civil society organizations collaborating strategically to advance the Paris Agreement’s goals nationally and globally.
Global standard cross-reference: 1, 2, 3, 11
USE CORPORATE ACTIVITIES AND INVESTMENTS TO LEVERAGE AND INFLUENCE
Summary: This tool and conversation guide helps corporate actors weigh tensions and refine options to make difficult judgement calls for political engagement, using the Erb principles.
Geography: Global
Year & org: 2024, The Erb Institute (University of Michigan)
Use to: Navigate important decisions around climate advocacy engagement using a balanced, non-prescriptive lens and guide for internal conversations.
Global standard cross-reference: N/A
Summary: RE100 is a global corporate renewable energy initiative bringing together hundreds of businesses committed to 100% renewable electricity.
Geography: Global
Year & org: Active, Climate Group & CDP
Use to: Gain access to peer-learning, policy support and local market insight to reach your company’s renewable energy activities.
Global standard cross-reference: 11
Summary: CEBA activates energy buyers and partners to advance low-cost, reliable, carbon emissions-free global electricity systems.
Geography: Global
Year & org: Active, Clean Energy Buyers Association
Use to: Access market insights, peer learning, supply chain tools, and policy engagement opportunities that seek to scale clean energy development.
Global standard cross-reference: 3, 11
Align the climate policy advocacy of your trade associations, alliances and coalitions with the goal of net zero by 2050.
Corporate lobbying against strong climate policy is common and extremely powerful when carried out by business groups and associations. It risks diluting companies’ individual advocacy efforts, and discrediting the voice of business more generally in the climate debate. Trade associations (and other alliances and coalitions) are often misaligned with individual members’ own climate ambition — and silence implies support.
MAP YOUR COMPANY’S LINKS TO TRADE ASSOCIATIONS AND ASSESS ALIGNMENT WITH THE 1.5°C PATHWAY
Summary: This guide provides a nine-step process for companies to follow in order move towards aligning their business association memberships with positive climate policy engagement.
Geography: Global
Year & org: 2024, Multiple
Use to: Understand the importance of the policy advocacy conducted by your business associations and see detailed action steps for moving toward alignment, including case studies.
Global standard cross-reference: All
Summary: This is a scorecard and analysis offering an assessment of trade association reviews by companies based on clarity, accuracy, and scope of disclosures.
Geography: Global
Year & org: Active, InfluenceMap
Use to: Review guidance on best practice for conducting an industry association review and use the rankings to gain insight on the strengths and weaknesses of those already published.
Global standard cross-reference: 1, 3, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12
Summary: This is a robust database scoring 250 industry associations across the globe, based on their Paris-aligned climate policy engagement. Scores range between A+ to F.
Geography: Global
Year & org: Active, InfluenceMap
Use to: Review the database to see how individual industry associations are influencing climate policy, particularly those of which you are a member.
Global standard cross-reference: 3, 6, 8, 9, 10
PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGE MISALIGNMENT AND TAKE ACTION TO RESOLVE IT
Summary: This reporting template supports companies in their RPE disclosure by guiding them through the process of drafting a corporate climate policy engagement report.
Geography: Global
Year & org: 2025, We Mean Business Coalition
Use to: Leverage to draft or refine your company’s climate policy engagement report, ensuring they reflect clear policy asks and alignment with science-based targets.
Global standard cross-reference: All
Summary: These reviews share the rationale, method, and findings from three companies assessing whether their industry associations align with ambitious climate policy.
Geography: Global
Year & org: Active, Iberdrola, Fortescue, Unilever
Use to: Reference as strong examples of how companies are approaching misalignment on climate policy with their trade groups and for use as inspiration in conducting your own reviews.
Global standard cross-reference: 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
Summary: This report goes through each of the 14 indicators of the Global Standard, providing guidance and examples of best practice from corporations.
Geography: Global
Year & org: 2022, Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility
Use to: Review the report to gain a better understanding of expectations from investors, as well as accessing specific examples of best practice for the Global Standard indicators.
Global standard cross-reference: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
COLLABORATE TO PRESSURE TRADE ASSOCIATIONS FOR POSITIVE CLIMATE ADVOCACY
Summary: The Playbook guides companies on ensuring trade associations support strong climate policy, including how to assess alignment, engage constructively, and take action.
Geography: Global
Year & org: 2025, Volans and WBCSD
Use to: Follow a five-step process to improve how your company engages trade associations on climate policy, with tools and examples to support internal alignment and external engagement.
Global standard cross-reference: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Summary: This toolkit offers guidance on why trade group misalignment on climate policy must be addressed and offers several templates and steps to get started on doing so.
Geography: Global
Year & org: 2020, The B Team
Use to: Kickstart the process of engaging trade groups via the toolkit’s template emails, suggested audit design, and policy issue areas.
Global standard cross-reference: 6, 8, 9, 10, 11
Summary: This article provides an overview of how trade associations impact climate policy, the risk this poses for corporate members, and outlines strategies to mitigate misalignment.
Geography: USA
Year & org: 2021, World Resources Institute
Use to: Begin developing a strategy for addressing trade association misalignment on climate policy.
Global standard cross-reference: 8, 9, 10, 11
Allocate advocacy spending to advance climate policies, not obstruct them.
Corporate spending can greatly influence policy makers, and your political giving and funding of third-party organizations sends a strong message about the climate policy you want to see.
ASSESS ALL SPENDING THAT’S RELEVANT TO CLIMATE POLICY
Summary: This model code provides standards to guide companies on responsible engagement in democratic processes, and risk management for political spending. Not exclusive to climate.
Geography: USA
Year & org: 2020, CPA-Zicklin (Wharton School, PENN)
Use to: Use as a starting place to guide development of standards and procedures for tracking and reporting all instances of political spending.
Global standard cross-reference: 4, 6, 12, 13
Summary: This report offers guidance for engagement between investors and companies regarding political lobbying and donations. Not exclusive to climate issues.
Geography: Global
Year & org: 2017, International Corporate Governance Network
Use to: Review guidance on establishing a policy framework and procedures, board oversight, transparency and disclosure, and shareholder engagement on political activity; see p. 14.
Global standard cross-reference: 2, 4, 5, 6, 7
CONTRIBUTE TO ORGANIZATIONS THAT ADVANCE CLIMATE POLICY AND STOP CONTRIBUTING TO THIRD PARTIES THAT UNDERMINE IT
Summary: A coalition of Nordic steel producers, industrial buyers and energy companies coordinated to advance near-zero emissions steel policy.
Geography: Nordics
Year & org: Active, coordinated by Climate Leadership Coalition, Demos Helsinki and We Mean Business Coalition
Use to: Reference for a value chain-wide frontrunner coalition (producers and industrial buyers) coordinating policy advocacy to accelerate a hard-to-abate sector's transition.
Global standard cross-reference: 11
Summary: A Brussels-based coalition of businesses and associations supporting a strong EU ETS and CBAM.
Geography: Europe
Year & org: Active, Business for CBAM
Use to: Example of companies and start-ups forming a dedicated coalition to champion specific climate legislation.
Global standard cross-reference: 11
Summary: This is an advocacy collaborative between Danone North America, Mars, Unilever, and Nestlé focused on advancing sustainable food and agricultural policies.
Geography: USA
Year & org: Active, Sustainable Food Policy Alliance
Use to: Review a case study where companies left a trade group over issues of sustainability and developed a new group to direct advocacy spending towards furthering sustainability.
Global standard cross-reference: 11
ENSURE THAT NET EFFECT OF ANY COMPANY CONTRIBUTIONS IS TO ADVANCE CLIMATE POLICY, NOT OBSTRUCT IT
Summary: This report presents ten principles and guidance for responsible corporate political engagement. Not exclusive to climate issues.
Geography: United Kingdom
Year & org: 2015, Transparency International UK
Use to: See checklists starting on p. 47 for granular guidance on practicing RPE, including political donations and indirect political expenditure.
Global standard cross-reference: All
Climate leaders are fully transparent about their direct and indirect advocacy and lobbying.
Companies must disclose how their memberships, financial contributions and direct engagement on climate policy support their own climate ambition and action, while reporting misalignments and plans to address them. Investors expect corporate lobbying to be aligned with the three disclosure asks of the Global Standard on Responsible Corporate Climate Lobbying.
PUBLISH AN ANNUAL REVIEW FOR INVESTORS OF THE 1.5°C ALIGNMENT OF YOUR COMPANY’S LOBBYING
Summary: This reporting template supports companies in their RPE disclosure by guiding them through the process of drafting a corporate climate policy engagement report.
Geography: Global
Year & org: 2025, We Mean Business Coalition
Use to: Leverage to draft or refine your company’s climate policy engagement report, ensuring they reflect clear policy asks and alignment with science-based targets.
Global standard cross-reference: All
Summary: This report presents ten principles and guidance for responsible corporate political engagement. Not exclusive to climate issues.
Geography: United Kingdom
Year & org: 2015, Transparency International UK
Use to: See checklists starting on p. 47 for granular guidance on practicing RPE, including political donations and indirect political expenditure.
Global standard cross-reference: All
ACKNOWLEDGE AND REPORT ON ACTIONS AND PLANS TO ADDRESS MISALIGNMENTS
Summary: This report goes through each of the 14 indicators of the Global Standard on Responsible Climate Lobbying, providing guidance and examples of best practice from corporations.
Geography: Global
Year & org: 2022, Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility
Use to: Gain a better understanding of expectations from investors, as well as accessing specific examples of best practice for each of the 14 Global Standard indicators.
Global standard cross-reference: All
PUBLICLY DISCLOSE:
Summary: This standard is designed to be used by organizations to report their impacts on the economy, the environment, and society. Not exclusive to climate issues.
Geography: Global
Year & org: 2016, Global Sustainability Standards Board
Use to: Report on the issues and positions where your company exerts political influence, including monetary and in-kind spending, in accordance with GRI Standards.
Global standard cross-reference: 13
Summary: A collection of techniques and considerations for companies reporting under the EU's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), including early trends in best practice.
Geography: Global
Year & org: 2025, We Mean Business Coalition
Use to:: Leverage to assess and disclose your company’s climate-related advocacy and investments, including positions taken, alignment with sustainability goals, and financial allocations.
Global standard cross-reference: 12, 13, 14