Key takeaways
- Regardless of standard perception, conversations occurring on Capitol Hill concerning clear power tax credit and incentives are cordial, respectful and productive.
- Authorities affairs and sustainability groups can work intently to make sure advocacy alternatives are as excessive affect and low danger as potential.
- Even when lawmakers don’t care about local weather change, framing environmental points by way of issues they do care about — U.S. competitiveness, job creation and extra — can transcend politics.
U.S. sustainability professionals have confronted daunting challenges within the opening months of 2025. The Trump administration seems immune to local weather motion and a collection of govt orders and new tariffs have added to the uncertainty. All of this makes it onerous to push for robust local weather insurance policies. However from the place I sit, sustainability leaders have the chance to transcend the politics of the second with compelling tales concerning the enterprise case for long-term investments within the clear power economic system. Final month, I helped convene dozens of enormous corporations on Capitol Hill to just do that — and I realized quite a bit from the expertise.
On this unstable second, listed below are just a few methods sustainability leaders can higher align their particular local weather objectives with their firm’s coverage engagement technique:
Discover energy in numbers
In March, on the outset of the continued finances negotiations in Washington, 80 massive corporations and buyers took to Capitol Hill for conferences with about 100 Congressional workplaces, the overwhelming majority of which have been Republican, to name on lawmakers to maintain federal clear power tax credit and incentives in place. The message was direct, however the conversations have been extremely cordial, respectful and productive. Importantly, we now have not heard of a single firm receiving any sort of political blowback in consequence.
In reality, the suggestions has been fairly the alternative: simply days after we left D.C., 21 Republican members of Congress launched a letter emphasizing their assist for sustaining the incentives amid ongoing tax debates. And this month, 4 Senate Republicans adopted up with a supportive letter of their very own.
There are a lot of methods to attribute this success, however undoubtedly one of the essential is that the large-scale, cross-sector and collective enterprise voice created a virtuous cycle. Not solely did it present validation to lawmakers that main corporations need and want clear power tax credit, however the multi-sector “massive tent” strategy creates a cushty and secure area for companies to direct their advocacy, additional amplifying the affect. Companies dedicated to local weather and sustainability management can be part of cross-sectoral alternatives reminiscent of these and think about placing their identify on strategic sign-on letters and different alternatives to collectively weigh in.
Hyperlink coverage priorities to enterprise objectives
Local weather change will have an effect on all the economic system, so at some stage all local weather insurance policies are enterprise issues. However that idea is simply too broad and summary to drive significant coverage motion. Efficient enterprise advocates lead with the problems which can be central to their enterprise’s operations. Ford Motor Co., for instance, has publicly advocated for sustaining federal clear automobile and battery tax credit, which have guided the corporate’s long-term funding selections and are key to rising the manufacturing and adoption of electrical autos.
Whereas that instance will get instantly at Ford’s enterprise operations, corporations should not have any hassle advocating for extra tangential insurance policies which have a transparent enterprise affect. With power costs too excessive and the grid constrained, it is smart for almost each firm to advocate for insurance policies that assist the speedy deployment of fresh power sources reminiscent of photo voltaic and battery storage, as they’re essentially the most inexpensive and quickest-to-build types of new energy.
Prioritize authorities affairs
Sustainability and authorities affairs groups have to work intently collectively throughout this turbulent time. Authorities affairs workers are understandably buried by the barrage of advanced and unpredictable coverage modifications coming their manner. Sustainability professionals ought to flag discreet coverage priorities early and sometimes, and make a compelling case that hyperlinks well timed advocacy to core enterprise priorities.
They will additionally be certain that advocacy alternatives are as excessive affect and low danger as potential. Take into consideration methods to border points in a manner that can enchantment to lawmakers who merely could not care about local weather change or air pollution — however could possibly be receptive to arguments about clear power affordability, job creation, world U.S. competitiveness and innovation. Time and time once more, we’ve seen that the financial case can transcend politics. And there are ample alternatives to work as a part of a bunch with peer corporations or with companies throughout sectors.
Take into account company credibility
Whereas it’s comprehensible {that a} altering political atmosphere might have an effect on corporations’ strategy to publicly supporting local weather coverage, it’s conspicuous when a enterprise that when described one thing as a core precept now not prioritizes it. Nobody is anticipating corporations to weigh in on or reply to each particular person coverage transfer. However buyers — who proceed to prioritize company local weather advocacy — will take word if companies aren’t partaking. Lawmakers will discover as nicely. Silence, in any case, is a message of its personal.
