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Search Today, the World Environment Day campaign #OnlyOneEarth is calling for collective, transformative action on a global scale to celebrate, protect and restore our planet. Deep change is needed across sectors, stakeholders and borders to deliver the urgent action we need to address our unprecedented environmental challenges. Experience has shown that the fastest way to move forward is through collaboration, coordination and open conversation. The challenges we face are shared, and so must be the solutions.
Smart businesses must recognise that their role in driving urgent environmental progress, not just for the survival of our planet, but also for the survival of their organisations. Many ambitious companies are already on this journey, however we need the entire industry to act faster, be bolder, and be at the forefront of driving transformative change. There is great power in businesses putting competition aside to discuss the biggest issues we are facing; sharing experience, ideas and solutions to accelerate change. We can all learn and grow from each other, and we should not underestimate the power we have in coming together and collaborating to create tangible and positive impacts for our planet.
It is in this spirit that The Consumer Goods Forum is convening the industry for our annual Global Summit, taking place in Dublin on 20-23rd June. The summit will be the first time in two years that industry heavyweights including The Coca-Cola Company, L’Oréal and Walmart will gather in person. There has never been a more critical time to facilitate collaboration and reach decisions on how are business can do more for people and planet.
The event will host to a range of speakers and panels around the climate’s most pressing issues, including plastic waste, food waste, deforestation and carbon emissions, and how the consumer goods industry can tackle them. This year, we are focusing on ‘Resilience and Reinvention: Responsible Growth in the New Era’. The past few years have been difficult – businesses are feeling the impact of the pandemic, global crises, as well as ongoing climate risks. However, this must not take our attention away from the urgent issues at hand. Instead, it is an opportunity for the industry to rethink how it operates, and this year’s theme will allow industry players to reflect on the need to shift and transform.
Environmental transformation is particularly pressing, given that we are now over 6 months out from COP26 – Businesses need to show progress, and highlight what more needs to be done ahead of COP27. At CGF, we know we must keep pushing ourselves, and our members, to do more. As part of this, CGF is an official Accelerator of the UN’s Race to Zero campaign, to encourage faster progress on carbon reduction across our global membership.
Urgent change is needed if we are to protect our environment for future generations and the consumer goods industry has an important role to play in transforming our world for the better. Transformative change begins with collaborative discussions, putting competition aside to share experience, ideas and solutions. World Environment Day presents the opportunity for industry players to reflect on their environmental progress, whilst considering where they must transform to accelerate better lives through better business. Let’s have the vital discussions needed to drive forward change.
