Corporate Responsibility: Report Total Emissions
We demand that big business polluters take responsibility for our planet and our people and accurately report Environmental, Social, Governance data on a quarterly basis. Only 22 of all Fortune 500 companies are committed to using 100% renewable energy. We must hold the remaining 478 corporations accountable. Only with this data will we understand total US business waste - what corporate carbon footprints actually look like.
The Problem
Big business does not treat climate change as a global emergency and resists disclosing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) data.
Our Plan
Four global businesses have been behind more than 10% of the world’s carbon emissions since 1965, making them uniquely positioned to champion change. If these corporations set ambitious targets as pioneers in reducing their carbon footprint, the trickle-down effects will be enormous.
Require polluters to accurately report Environmental Social Governance data on a quarterly basis. Mandate independent audits, particularly in larger businesses, and penalize greenwashing, a practice that purposely misleads regulatory agencies of pollution.
Big Business must report on:
Environment: greenhouse gas emissions, water use, recycled waste.
Social: women in the workforce, employee turnover, total external social investment, total giving, training spending per employee.
Governance: women on company boards, business ethics, ESG linked to bonus, and social supply chain risk management.
This Matters
Transparency is critical for a Green America. Contrary to what firms lead you to believe, they have not taken ESG reporting seriously enough. Aspirational language is all too common across organizations that are not held accountable. Even in the cases where companies are capturing this data, more work is needed to take those measurements to inform and track progress against progressive goals. Only 22 of all Fortune 500 companies are committed to powering all of their operations using renewable energy. We, the government-backed by the people, can hold the remaining 478 corporations accountable.
Only with this data will we understand the total US business waste, what corporate carbon footprints actually look like, and mandate sustainable supply chains to combat the negative impact of climate change.