Major U.S. Companies and Investors Urge Congress to LEAD on Climate

May 11, 2022 /3BL Media/ -Representatives from more than 100 large companies and investors are meeting with key lawmakers of both parties this week in a united call for Congress to pass an ambitious package of federal clean energy, transportation, infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing investments. 

Best Buy, bp America, Carrier, Clif Bar, CommonSpirit Health, Danone North America, eBay, Gap, General Mills, Hannon Armstrong, Holcim, HP, IKEA, JLL, Levi Strauss & Co., LinkedIn, Nestle, Marriott International, Microsoft, Netflix, Nike, PayPal, PepsiCo, PG&E, PSEG, Salesforce, Siemens, Starbucks, Unilever, Vail Resorts, VF Corporation, Wayfair, and Workday are among the major U.S. employers, innovators, and manufacturers spanning all sectors of the economy that are participating in LEAD on Climate 2022. Representatives from the participating organizations will meet with lawmakers and Congressional staff on Wednesday, May 11, and Thursday, May 12, in virtual forums. So far, 90 meetings have been scheduled over this two-day period. 

View the full list of LEAD on Climate 2022 participants here. 

The fourth annual business advocacy event gives leading companies and investors the opportunity to make the strong economic case for federal climate action, elevating their calls for clean energy and environmental justice investments that will bolster the nation’s competitiveness, lower energy costs, strengthen domestic supply chains, and confront the threat of the climate crisis. 

"As one of the country's most established climate investors, we know firsthand how essential the U.S. private sector is for innovation, development, and deployment of the sustainable infrastructure solutions that our planet and our economy need. But companies can't do it alone at the speed and scale required to mitigate our climate crisis. We need federal policymakers to work with us to further accelerate the transition to an affordable and secure domestic clean energy supply," said Susan Nickey, Chief Client Officer, Hannon Armstrong. "We're coming to LEAD on Climate 2022 because it's long past time for Congress to move forward on ambitious climate legislation that will supercharge the shift to a more sustainable and competitive business environment, helping companies and the country meet their climate goals while delivering economic gains across the U.S."  

"Carrier is committed to addressing the world’s most complex challenges – for the good of our planet, our customers and employees and all communities where we operate. That includes reducing our environmental impact, embracing renewable energy and advancing the use of healthy, safe sustainable and intelligent building and cold chain solutions to help our customers meet their decarbonization goals,” said Jennifer Anderson, Senior Vice President, Strategy, Business Development & Chief Sustainability Officer, Carrier. “Accelerating the adoption of existing climate-forward technologies can drive energy efficiency, electrification, enhanced building management and food loss reduction – but we can’t do it alone. It requires a combined public-private effort, which is why we’re pleased to be working with Congress to LEAD on Climate 2022.” 

"This is an opportunity to pass meaningful climate legislation. It’s also an opportunity to make significant investments in our nation’s farmers, positioning agriculture and the food industry as a critical frontline in the fight against the climate crisis,” said Chris Adamo, Vice President, Government & Public Affairs, Danone North America. “We look forward to talking to lawmakers at LEAD on Climate 2022 about the many economic and climate benefits of passing robust climate smart agriculture policies this spring.” 

“HP supports aggressive, science-based climate action in the U.S. and globally. In addition to corporate action, we need systemic change by governments to solve a problem as complex as climate change,” said Ellen Jackowski, Chief Impact Officer and Head of Sustainable Impact at HP. “We are working to halve our emissions by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2040. Federal investments in clean energy and beyond are essential to creating jobs and ensuring greater equity while enabling companies to accelerate action.” 

“Siemens is already hard at work to make this a decade of action on climate, bringing our industrial, supply chain, and electrification know-how to this challenge,” Siemens U.S. CEO Barbara Humpton. “The federal government has a powerful role to play to seed the investments in building and deploying the clean power infrastructure the U.S. needs to meet its energy security, economic, and climate goals, efforts that will also help unlock private sector capital investments that move us even closer to a more sustainable future. We are proud to bring this message to Congress at LEAD on Climate 2022, and we urge lawmakers to heed the call from the more than 100 companies and investors leading this charge.”  

“The solutions we need to achieve clean energy are available today and PSEG is eager to continue powering the clean energy economy,” said PSEG Chair, President and CEO Ralph Izzo. “Clean energy is affordable, secure, and domestic, and it’s in high demand from consumers and businesses alike. We can’t scale these solutions fast enough without the smart policies and strong incentives that Congress is considering right now. We urge them to pass this package to develop the supply chains and manufacturing capacities we need to unlock our energy future and establish the U.S. as the global leader in clean power development.”  

Organized by the sustainability nonprofit Ceres, LEAD on Climate 2022 features more than 100 companies and investors that collectively count more than $1.6 trillion in annual revenue and $4.6 trillion in assets under management, and that employ more than 3 million people in all 50 states. The event comes as Congress considers major investments in clean energy, transportation, and infrastructure, as well as the advanced manufacturing and supply chain capabilities to support it, either through a budget reconciliation deal or a bipartisan energy package. 

Specifically, companies and investors are calling for Congress to: 

• Meet the urgency and scale of the climate crisis with ambitious federal investments to accelerate the transition to affordable, secure, domestic clean energy. 
• Seize the economic opportunities to lead the world in clean energy manufacturing and deployment to create jobs, spur innovation, strengthen supply chains, and reduce costs and volatility for businesses and consumers.  
• Tackle inequity by targeting climate and clean energy investments in disadvantaged, rural, and frontline energy communities. 

“Some of the largest and most influential companies in the world are also among our nation’s strongest climate advocates,” said Zach Friedman, director of federal policy, Ceres. “That’s because they know that clean energy is good for business and for the economy. This week, companies and investors will continue to lead on climate by urging lawmakers to finalize the bold clean energy package we need. As American businesses and consumers grapple with high energy prices, now is the time to double down and accelerate the clean energy transition to ensure more Americans can benefit from affordable, secure, domestic clean energy.” 

Past LEAD on Climate events have drawn hundreds of participants from corporate America. In 2021, for example, more than 80 companies and investors successfully called on Congress to include robust climate policies and clean energy investments as lawmakers began to debate a large-scale infrastructure bill. The bipartisan Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act signed into law in 2021 included significant clean energy, clean transportation, climate mitigation, and pollution cleanup measures. However, achieving the nation’s economic and climate goals will still require the additional investments Congress is currently considering. 

Many of this year’s participating companies have for months been actively pushing for these measures. In April, nearly 50 large consumer, business-to-business, and industrial brands submitted a letter as Congress returned from its spring recess making the economic case for clean energy legislation. In December, more than 400 companies, investors, and trade organizations of all sizes signed a separate letter. Leading executives have also recently met with White House officials and members of Congress, and participated in a Punchbowl News interview series, as part of their ongoing clean energy advocacy push.

Ceres is a nonprofit organization working with the most influential capital market leaders to solve the world’s greatest sustainability challenges. Through our powerful networks and global collaborations of investors, companies and nonprofits, we drive action and inspire equitable market-based and policy solutions throughout the economy to build a just and sustainable future. For more information, visit ceres.org and follow @CeresNews.

Media Contact: Helen Booth-Tobin, booth-tobin@ceres.org, 617-247-0700 ext. 214