What is the Corporate Leaders Network?
The Corporate Leaders Network for climate action (CLN) is a global network of business groups, bringing the voice of business to national-level governments. We use the ‘ambition loop’ model of change to increase climate ambition and action, and achieve the targets of the Paris Agreement.
The CLN brings together more than 450 members worldwide, across geographies and sectors. We align with global policy processes including the UNFCCC COPs, and work alongside the UN High-Level Climate Champions and the Race to Zero to support business’ pivotal role in achieving net-zero emissions.
The CLN is coordinated by a secretariat within the Convening Team at the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership.
Aims
The CLN aims to:
- support climate policy advocacy by progressive business groups in their national or sector-specific context;
- connect the work of these business groups with global policy processes, to accelerate these processes or translate them into operational and national policy implications for business.
Activities
In support of these aims, activities of the network include:
- Sharing of experience and best practice through regular meetings between the groups to support collaboration and increase impact
- Showcasing business action to increase visibility of climate leadership globally through thought leadership outputs and events
- Coordinating the progressive business voice around international climate policy moments through campaigns and co-organised events.
- Sharing insight on global policy processes through webinars and contributions from relevant experts
Members of the Corporate Leaders Network
CER is Slovenia's first and largest Sustainable Business Network, with more than 100 members from different sectors, promoting ambitious business action to achieve a net zero economy as quickly as possible. It is based on the belief that climate change and globalisation challenges require new solutions, partnerships, and new ways of working together.
CLG Chile was formed in 2009, after a visit from His Majesty King Charles III, and due to the joint management of the Faculty of Economics and Business of the University of Chile, the British Embassy and the British Chilean Chamber of Commerce. CLG Chile members are committed to playing a leading role in driving a just transition to a low-carbon economy, by changing their own business models and sectors and by promoting change in a broader economic and political context.
CLG Europe aims to be the leading cross-sectoral business voice convened across the EU in support of a climate neutral economy. CLG Europe develops credible, ambitious positions amongst its membership and deploys effective strategic communications to engage with the highest levels of policy audiences. CLG Europe is diverse in its membership and representative of Europe in both geography and sector, welcoming the innovative talent of SMEs as well as leading established companies. The group works closely with policymakers – particularly the Green Growth Group of EU climate and environment ministers, and supportive Members of the European Parliament through its Green Growth Partnership.
The UK Corporate Leaders Group (CLG UK) is a cross-sector business membership group that provides a strong voice to support UK leadership, nationally and internationally, for the transition to a climate neutral, nature positive and socially inclusive economy. Established in 2005, under the leadership of the former HRH The Prince of Wales, it has helped reshape the consensus amongst the UK business community in support of climate action and sat at the core of a growing community of business action in Europe and around the world.
The Japan Climate Leaders' Partnership (JCLP) is a coalition of Japanese companies who hold the firm belief that economic prosperity and sustainability go hand in hand. JCLP's core activities include communicating business trends in low carbon energy; intelligence gathering and analysis on global and Japan trends relating to the intersection of climate change and business; and convening business collaboration on climate change issues.
Net Zero Pakistan is a national collaboration between private sector companies, public institutions, and sectoral experts to deliver the goal of net zero carbon for Pakistan by 2050. Some of the key achievements of Net Zero Pakistan are as follows:
- Accredited as an official Accelerator for the UN’s Race to Zero campaign
- Onboarded 26 large-scale companies in Pakistan as signatories to the coalition, representing approximately 30% of Pakistan’s total exports
- Trained 100+ employees of companies on GHG accounting and SBTi in partnership with CDP, South Pole, GHGMI, and more
Perú Sostenible, a non-profit organization that serves as Peru's main business network for sustainable development and global network partner of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). This organization seeks engages companies in their role as change agents to promote sustainable development in Peru. This is encouraged by: connecting them with global sustainability platforms, business leaders networks and the social and environmental entrepreneurship ecosystem in Peru; helping transform their business models with programs and tools to enhance their ESG practices ; and giving visibility to best business examples and practices that promote and advance towards Peru's sustainable development. Transversally, in alliance with the United Nations, Peru Sostenible activates businesses in multi-sectorial spaces to develop solutions around the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
How to become a member
The CLN is open to business groups who are committed to increasing political and business ambition towards achieving the targets of the Paris Agreement of limiting global temperature rise to well below 2°C, aiming for 1.5°C. In particular, we welcome business groups who aim to catalyse action in their national or regional context, through advocacy and connectivity with government.
There is no membership fee for joining the CLN. However we ask that members of the CLN:
- Commit to attending and actively participating in quarterly working group meetings;
- Be willing to share experience and lessons on bringing the voice of business to support increased political ambition towards meeting or increasing their government’s climate targets;
- Support collaborative action to raise the profile of the group at key global moments;
- Be proactive in sharing updates, hearing from relevant speakers and planning coordinated activities
- Be willing to engage in due diligence checks as required by CISL
To submit your interest in joining the CLN, representatives from business groups should email cln@cisl.cam.ac.uk.
Background
Prior to being reactivated in 2022, the Corporate Leaders Network for Climate Action (CLN) was first convened by the UK and European Corporate Leaders Groups (CLGs) between 2010 and 2015 and provided a platform for regular contacts and collaboration on the international agenda. It represented established and emerging groups, as well as strong partnerships in Abu Dhabi, Brazil, Chile, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Spain, Turkey, the US and UK.
Key international outputs from the CLN then included the Corporate Climate Communiqués which set out a concise business case and progressive global consensus on the shape of an international climate agreement and on the national policy needed for countries to deliver on the global goal.
Since 2015, the CLGs have maintained and developed relationships with business groups around the world. Collaborations have included with the Japan Climate Leaders Partnership (JCLP), CLG Chile, Foundation 2°, BCSD Portugal, the CER Sustainable Business Network Slovenia, the Climate Leadership Coalition, the Dutch Sustainable Growth Coalition, Entreprises pour l'Environnement, The Haga Initiative, The Spanish Green Growth Group, and more.
By linking these business networks working on climate change, the CLGs have enabled the sharing of best practice and collaboration and have provided strategic support to increase impact, both within member countries and internationally.
The CLN and its dedicated secretariat were reactivated in 2022 in to support the accelerated delivery of climate action and to strengthen global collaboration on business climate advocacy in alignment with the UNFCCC’s Race to Zero.
Watch the relaunch event at COP27
The CLN was relaunched at COP27 with a panel event titled 'Strengthening global collaboration on business climate advocacy'. The event aimed to launch a reactivated global Corporate Leaders Network for climate action focused on catalysing business advocacy on climate policy at a national level and bringing together key policy and NGO stakeholders with contributors from international business networks across the world. A drinks reception open to all participants followed directly after the event in the dedicated area of the WMBC Pavilion.
