The Climate Action Pledge is a commitment to taking collaborative action for climate and nature across our region. Pledge signatories are making a public statement of intent to take responsibility for their role in accelerating progress to net zero, protecting our communities from climate impacts and protecting and restoring our natural environments, enhancing our region’s fantastic natural assets. It’s an opportunity for organisations and businesses to join in a movement for a greener, more secure and prosperous Yorkshire and Humber. 

Who is it for?

The Climate Action Pledge has been designed to be applicable to as many businesses and organisations across our region as possible, from SMEs to our largest businesses, from local third sector bodies to NHS Trusts.  

How does the Climate Action Pledge work? 

Organisational leaders are invited to take the pledge by reading the wording outlining the action needed for climate and nature and signing the commitment on behalf of their organisation to progress this action.

After signing the pledge, businesses and organisations will be asked about their progress so far in tackling climate and nature issues. This helps us to understand where good progress is being made and where more support is needed.

Pledge signatories are listed on the Yorkshire and Humber Climate Commission website, and the Commissions’ Team will periodically check in with signatories to ask about progress, link organisations to each other for collaborative opportunities and share the latest knowledge on regional action needed. We want to celebrate successes, and invite signatories to share the interventions and initiatives that are already having positive impact so we can communicate these to other pledge signatories and the wider YHCC network.

Pledge signatories will be alerted to useful events or resources and invited to input into the wider work being carried out by the Yorkshire and Humber Climate Commission.

What support will be available to signatories? 

The Yorkshire and Humber Climate Commission will signpost signatories to existing support services and tools that we identify. If businesses or organisations have questions, we’ll do our best to answer – or to find someone who can,

We will also be developing opportunities for business engagement and networking, sharing the best practice from around the region and encouraging peer support.

What makes this Pledge different? 

Many climate pledge schemes focus on cutting carbon emissions. This is an important part of the action needed, but it’s not the full story. The Yorkshire and Humber Climate Action Pledge also asks businesses and organisations to get ready for a changing climate through addressing risks and becoming more resilient, and to help tackle our nature and biodiversity crisis. There is also a focus on ensuring that any action for climate and nature leads to a fair and just region for all.  

The Pledge is about working together for Yorkshire and Humber – helping make sure our region is climate ready and able to take advantage of the opportunities of a greener economy. It encourages businesses and organisations to consider how their action can influence the people and partners they work with, and places they work in – cascading impacts from organisation to organisation as well as business to community across our region.    

How will businesses and organisations be assessed? 

The Climate Action Pledge is a public commitment to taking action that aims to create a movement for change. It is not an assessment or accreditation. The Pledge is focused on growing the number of organisations taking action for climate and nature; connecting people who can collaborate and support each other in overcoming barriers; providing links to good resources and accurate information; and deepening and broadening positive action over time. 

All organisations have a role to play for climate and nature, and we encourage all organisations to make a commitment to do their part. The Pledge is not a certification scheme and signing the Pledge does not mean endorsement by the Yorkshire and Humber Climate Commission.

Climate change impacts and loss of nature affect everyone. Taking the Pledge is a public commitment to communities, customers, employees and other stakeholders. In making the pledge, organisations are accountable to all these people for following through on commitments made.