Deloitte announced that it has begun to roll out a new climate learning program for all 330,000 of its people worldwide. The program was launched on Wednesday, 18th August in Asia Pacific.
A first-of-its-kind among major global organizations, the program aims to inform, challenge and inspire Deloitte people to learn about the impacts of climate change and empower them to confidently navigate their contribution to addressing climate change by making responsible choices at home and at work, and in advising our clients.
In order to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate the worst effects of climate change, the world needs an ecosystem of public and private actions that can help mobilize and enact collective change, which includes the business community and their employees.
By increasing climate literacy and building the skills required to address climate change, this new learning program, developed in collaboration with World Wildlife Fund (WWF), is designed to engage all Deloitte people around the world on the impacts of climate change, inform them about how Deloitte is responding to the climate crisis, and inspire Deloitte people to take action.
“To address climate change, we need to understand it. Through dedicated learning, we can help make the right choices necessary to combat the crisis,” says Punit Renjen, Deloitte Global CEO. “Deloitte’s climate learning program is a powerful tool to unlock the climate ambition of our most valuable asset and superpower—our people. By educating and inspiring all 330,000 of us, we can help drive collective action at the scale required to help address climate change.”
The digital learning program comprises of a module which features videos, interactive data visualizations, and personal testimonials from dedicated Deloitte people taking climate action around the globe. And it is complemented with a dynamic global learning platform of comprehensive climate content in a variety of mediums to increase climate literacy. As the training is rolled out over the next six months, it will mark the next step of a collective journey Deloitte is embarking on to address climate change and build a culture of climate consciousness and action.
“Climate change brings global impacts that demand global solutions. But we also know that companies have a big role to play in driving progress, and that the actions and voices of their employees really matter,” says Carter Roberts, President and CEO of World Wildlife Fund. “Leading companies today are not only setting science-based targets to slash emissions and drive progress through their supply chains. They’re also engaging their customers and employees to make smarter choices and build momentum for broader societal progress. This new initiative from Deloitte taps into that trend and aims to bring it to scale.”
Featuring spoken-word poetry and engaging video content that takes viewers on a cross-continent journey, Deloitte’s novel learning program seeks to inspire. The learning goes beyond stats and figures about climate change to immerse Deloitte people in how the world is changing, what it means for communities around the globe, and how they can take action to help. Through an interactive and of-the-moment module, as well as a complementary learning channel that will be updated with the latest science and information, Deloitte is fostering a much-needed climate dialogue among its people globally.
The new program builds on Deloitte’s climate and sustainability initiative globally, WorldClimate. Launched in September 2020, this strategy outlines Deloitte’s commitment to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, promotes “green” operations across all its regions, educates and empowers Deloitte people around the world to become advocates of proactive climate action, and engages a broader ecosystem to create solutions that facilitate the transition to a low-carbon economy.
“It is time for businesses to change the way they operate. For companies to build long-term sustainable value for all stakeholders, they must do their part to build an equitable and sustainable future. With a company-wide climate learning, businesses can develop a culture of sustainability and climate-conscious thinking at the very core of their work”, adds Renjen.
For more than 20 years, Deloitte has helped its clients build climate action strategies into their operations and mitigate the risks that come with a warming world. Deloitte works with clients to build capabilities – from measuring impacts, to scenario planning and stress testing, to reporting on sustainable achievements and building a more inclusive workforce.
Deloitte helps businesses and industries anticipate the operational and strategic changes needed, whether that is through accessing responsible finance, forming decarbonization strategies or setting clear carbon measurement and reporting, or providing advice around how to enter new markets, accessing incentives, or setting net-zero targets, among a range of other areas.
