In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was concern that issues such as climate change and sustainability would lose ground, given the urgency of addressing the immediate and growing health crisis.
In reality, the pandemic shone a spotlight on environmental issues. We witnessed unintended climate benefits, although short-lived, due to lockdowns to limit the spread of the coronavirus.
Before COVID-19, the private sector and governments had already begun to embrace the climate agenda to varying degrees. From the growing focus on environmental, social, and corporate governance to the Paris climate accord and climate commitments made by the U.S. administration this year, businesses and governments are responding to the urgency of climate change.
International NGOs in the development sector often advocate for this kind of action. Yet we have been relatively inactive when it comes to our own climate or sustainability accounting, despite our negative contributions to environmental challenges.
The reasons for our inaction vary. Some believe that INGOs are too small to make a significant difference on climate change. Others point to our advocacy or the donor-funded programs that we implement as proof of action. And as the private sector and governments already know, this is not an easy agenda to embrace.
NGOs are part of the [environmental] problem, but we can challenge ourselves to do better. And with these steps, we can succeed.
—With the scope of our organizations’ environmental impacts made more apparent as offices were shuttered and flights grounded in the wake of the pandemic, now is the time to build back better and capitalize on the lessons of the past year.
A recent Devex piece and discussion moderated by U.K. Correspondent William Worley on the “post-pandemic NGO” — a term coined by Bond — gave a glimpse into the changes facing our sector and why we must look differently at how we organize and deliver our work. That includes taking concrete steps to reduce our own carbon footprint.
Here are three steps that INGOs can take to tackle the climate agenda from the inside out:
1. Assess your organization’s environmental issues
When faced with a multitude of options for how to proceed, you can end up being paralyzed by the choices. A good way to start is by better understanding the environmental sustainability issues within your own organization. Do your emissions come from single-use plastic, international travel, or local vehicles?
By utilizing a materiality survey, you can identify the most pressing issues at your organization. Members of your staff will be instrumental in the success of any environmental program, so understanding what they believe are the most important issues will also help create champions and buy-in.
2. Develop a plan to change how you operate
Once you have identified your most pressing issues, develop a plan for how to tackle the top ones. For example, if energy consumption across your offices is high, consider which offices are good candidates for installing solar panels. Consider migrating files to the cloud to negate the need for additional servers that require dedicated cooling units for climate control.
For many INGOs, international travel is likely a top contributor to carbon emissions. Air travel’s impact on the environment may be worse than previously predicted, with United Nations estimates showing emissions from air travel could triple from 2018 to 2050. While eliminating international travel is not feasible, we’ve all adapted to working remotely this past year.
In a recent article in the journal Nature, climate scientists recommended ways to reduce air travel in a post-pandemic world, ranging from utilizing trains and other methods of transportation to continuing our use of virtual meetings and events. Technology may not be a substitute for in-person interaction, but we must change our default travel mindset to consider environmentally friendly alternatives such as virtual meetings or utilizing regionally and locally based experts — a clear benefit to our industry as a whole.
3. Gather baseline data and hold yourself accountable
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As the adage goes, “You can’t manage what you don’t measure.” There are several climate solution providers and carbon project developers available to help organizations gather baseline data and measure progress on an annual basis. At Pact, we have partnered with South Pole on a greenhouse gas emissions assessment. The assessment collects data from across the global organization and provides recommendations based on those results.
Finally, to truly hold our organizations accountable for action — or inaction — incorporate your carbon footprint into corporatewide key performance indicators. Organizational performance metrics are a sign of what we value the most as an organization. Our impact on the environment deserves a place among those metrics.
This is just a beginning, but it is an important step toward acknowledging and combating our sector’s negative impact on the environment through our own operations. Yes, NGOs are part of the problem, but we can challenge ourselves to do better. And with these steps, we can succeed.
About the author
Caroline Anstey
Caroline Anstey is president and CEO at Pact. She has more than 25 years of leadership experience in social and economic development in both the public and private sectors. After an 18-year career at the World Bank Group, she joined UBS as group managing director. She subsequently served as a senior adviser to both the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Economic Forum. For five years, she served as sherpa to the heads of government meetings of the G-7 and G-20 groups of nations.
