Summer 2007

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The Prince of Wales's May Day Business Summit on Climate Change

Over 1,000 business leaders pledge action on climate change.
Hosted by HRH The Prince of Wales, the May Day Summit marked the beginning of a nationwide movement of businesses committed to leading the UK towards a low carbon economy.

A uniquely inclusive event

Through a network of 10 linked events that took place simultaneously across England, centred around a national hub event at St. James’s Palace, the summit brought together chief executives, board-level directors and senior managers.

Companies at the May Day Summit pledged firm commitments to lead the UK to a low carbon economy, working with their employees, suppliers and customers to reduce carbon emissions. Companies that attended the Summit will be offered support over the coming year by the Carbon Trust and Business in the Community. Progress against pledges, case studies, sources of advice and other information will be available here.

 

Stressing the Summit’s importance

Julia Cleverdon, Chief Executive of Business in the Community, explains the need for the Summit: “The active involvement of UK business is vital to the efforts to tackle the global crisis of climate change. This is not only because of the need for business to cut their own emissions but also because UK business has enormous influence on national life and unmatched reach across the global economy.”

Tom Delay, Chief Executive of the Carbon Trust, commented: “UK businesses are waking up to the potential impact of climate change. Cutting carbon emissions creates exciting new opportunities for business – opening up new markets and commercial possibilities as well as reducing costs.”

A win-win agenda

Jonathon Porritt, Co-Director of HRH The Prince of Wales's Business and the Environment Programme, puts it this way: "A number of progressive companies here in the UK have taken a lead on managing their carbon footprint, but we urgently need to spread that good practice across the business community as a whole - especially through the supply chain.”

“Small and medium-sized companies often complain that this is so much harder for them than for bigger companies. But the money to be saved through increased energy efficiency still makes this a win-win agenda: better for business and better for the planet."

 
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