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Search As New York Climate Week (NYCW) 2024 has now come to an end, The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) reflects on a week of impactful discussions and collaborations centered on climate action. Throughout the event, the CGF gathered its global network of retailers and manufacturers to advance meaningful progress toward our core mission: better lives through better business. Climate action has been at the heart of our sustainability vision, uniting all our efforts to address the climate crisis.
From September 22nd to 29th, industry leaders convened to tackle the urgent challenges posed by climate change. At the CGF, we understand that climate change touches every aspect of the consumer goods sector. By addressing it directly, we have made strides in accelerating progress across multiple sustainability initiatives—from reducing plastic waste and food loss to protecting forests.
Climate Action: The Unifying Thread Across Sustainability Initiatives
For the CGF, climate action is not a separate priority; it is the driving force behind all our work in sustainability. Whether it’s decarbonising supply chains, ensuring responsible sourcing, or promoting healthier lifestyles, each step is interconnected in our overarching goal to combat climate change and improve lives around the globe.
Our commitment extends beyond environmental issues to also encompass social sustainability, human rights, and economic resilience. By tackling these challenges together, we are helping our members build sustainable business models that are both responsive and future-proof.
Key Highlights from NYCW 2024: Collaborative Action at Its Core
New York Climate Week provided an ideal platform for the CGF to showcase its ongoing work and highlight key areas where business success and climate action intersect:
- Decarbonisation: Through our Towards Net Zero Coalition of Action, the CGF continues to lead the retail sector’s efforts to reduce emissions and promote long-term business resilience. On Monday 23rd, the CGF began the week with the third in a series of Retailer Roundtables, this time with a focus on retailer pathways to decarbonisation, kindly hosted by Boston Consulting Group (BCG). The event was followed by a lively and engaging networking reception where Coalition of Action co-chairs (from members companies: Haleon Kellanova, Pepsico, Tesco, and Unilever) presented the various agendas of their Coalitions’ work, and attendees had the opportunity to chat to like minded peers. As an official accelerator for the UN’s Race to Zero campaign, the CGF also supported various events and discussions throughout the week.
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- Reducing Food Waste: The CGF’s Food Waste Coalition is committed to halving food waste by 2030, and is working to drive action on SDG 12.3 with Champions 12.3. At NYCW, we highlighted how innovation and technology are transforming food systems and reducing emissions, promoting climate-positive practices across the value chain.
- Deforestation and Landscape-Level Climate Solutions: Our Forest Positive Coalition of Action presented solutions to combat deforestation while promoting sustainable supply chains. By protecting forests, we contribute to reducing emissions, preserving biodiversity, and fostering business sustainability. We showcased these efforts across two events in collaboration with key partners, reaching over 600+ participants both in person and online. In partnership with WBCSD Soft Commodities Forum, Proforest, and the Tropical Forest Alliance, the Forest Positive Coalition hosted a panel exploring how landscape approaches in Brazil’s Cerrado region can address deforestation and land conversion. The panel featured expert insights from McDonald’s, ADM, Instituto de Pesquisa Ambiental da Amazônia (IPAM), Associação Brasileira do Agronegócio (ABAG), and The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, emphasising the importance of collaboration to promote sustainable agricultural landscapes. The Coalition also collaborated with the Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH) to highlight the role of forests in stabilising supply chains in the face of climate disruption. Industry leaders discussed the growing risks to agriculture, particularly in key commodity sectors vulnerable to both climate change and deforestation. Panellists, including leaders from PepsiCo, Mars, Incorporated, World Resources Institute (WRI), and the (IDH), shared insights on how protecting and regenerating forests can help stabilise supply chains and mitigate business risks.
Looking Ahead: Driving Change Beyond NYCW 2024
As we close this year’s New York Climate Week, our message is clear: the time for bold, collective action is now. With COP29 around the corner, the role of the consumer goods industry is crucial in turning pledges into tangible results.
We invite you – our members, partners, stakeholders, and the broader industry – to join us in this critical moment. Together we can lead the way for a more resilient and sustainable world.
