Declaring a Climate Emergency

Mightybytes has joined organizations around the world in declaring a climate emergency. We’re committing to net zero emissions as quickly as possible.

Why a Climate Emergency?

David Wallace-Wells’ The Uninhabitable Earth is a no-holds-barred breakdown of climate change impacts on our planet. It shows very clearly how ill-prepared we are for this crisis and how terrible the outcomes will be for everyone. Worse, the threats of a changing climate will impact the world’s most vulnerable populations first. This is already happening around the world.

Yet, there is hope. The tools and resources to end this crisis are at our disposal. We just need the collective will—and tenacity—to make systems-level change happen. An entire global community of businesses is already leading the way.

The B Corp community works toward reduced inequality, lower levels of poverty, a healthier environment, stronger communities, and the creation of more high quality jobs with dignity and purpose.

— B Lab UK

The Power of Community

The global community of Certified B Corps has a collective mission to transform the global economy to benefit all people, communities, and the planet. Each year, B Lab, the nonprofit that certifies B Corps, produces an annual report highlighting the community’s impact on local, regional, and global economies. It includes inspiring statistics on:

• GHG emissions reduction
• Waste diversion
• Land conservation and stewardship
• Volunteer service
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Philanthropy
• And many others…

Plus, clear climate action and environmental stewardship are now requirements for B Corp certification under new B Corp standards. Our movement shows that a community of passionate, values-aligned organizations can create measurable change in the world.

B Corp Community Statistics

But we need your help. Below are some ways you can lend a hand.

What’s Driving This Declaration?

The business sector is the primary source of our planetary greenhouse gas emissions. We need to transition as quickly as possible to an economy that is powered by renewable energy. The situation is urgent and we must act now. All of us.

The answers to solving the climate crisis and planetary ecological breakdown exist. They require bold actions and long-term thinking. Business leaders must embrace new practices and different business models that offer proven solutions. Fueled by the situation’s urgency, we must commit to continuous improvement. Mightybytes has been undergoing this transformation for nearly a decade now. This declaration is just the latest step in our ongoing evolution.

There is no business to be done on a dead planet.

— David Bower

What if we Did Nothing?

Organizations that don’t devise forward-thinking climate strategies will struggle to thrive, or even survive, in a future where the impacts of climate change occur everywhere, everyday. Without a firm plan and the resources to execute it in place, many companies will risk becoming obsolete, their supply chains depleted, their access to capital at risk, and their operations irreparably damaged.

These businesses will lose value over time and could potentially be taxed or in violation of the law if their business model is extractive and dependent on fossil fuels. Plus, rising temperatures, flooding, air pollution, and extreme weather events will increase the risk of disease, food shortages, displacement, and disruption to property, which impacts everyone.

If we make the right choices over the next 2-3 years, we could unlock benefits worth $26 trillion from here to 2030, create 65 million new low-carbon jobs, and avoid over 700,000 premature deaths from air pollution.

— New Climate Economy

Opportunities to Address the Climate Crisis

The transition to a regenerative and inclusive economy must come quickly. It will be disruptive to most organizations, especially large companies with outdated business models that are heavily dependent on fossil fuels. It already impacts our political systems. Companies, and the people within them, need to start thinking differently about how to tackle the many problems we face in light of this crisis.

With that in mind, the climate crisis will also provide opportunities for organizations that are willing to think long-term, embrace new policies, and incorporate innovation practices into their (new or existing) business models. 

For example, according to the Business & Sustainable Development Commission, addressing the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) could open up $12 trillion in market opportunities. The methods by which organizations can address these goals, or others related to the climate crisis, are far-reaching and plentiful. 

At Mightybytes, we believe practices like systems thinking, design thinking, biomimicry, and embracing circular economy principles can help organizations more quickly adapt to this new paradigm and create future-forward products, services, programs, and practices.

Companies that measure and improve upon their impact over time using tools like the B Impact Assessment (BIA) or the SDG Action Manager will be much better positioned for long-term success in the face of climate change. Adding Certified B Corps like Mightybytes to your supply chain is a clear and measurable way you can make a difference.

What you do to the land, you do to the people. What you do to the people, you do to the land.

— Chief Seattle, leader of the Duwamish and Suquamish tribes, 1854

Making Our Business an Instrument for Change

While our climate emergency declaration is largely symbolic, the actions behind it are not. We’re using this declaration as a catalyst to create change within our own organization and with our stakeholders. In 2020, we’re re-certifying as a B Corp for the fifth time. This not only gives us an opportunity to increase our BIA score, but also to incorporate climate emergency principles into our reassessment process. 

That in mind, we have committed to a few key things as a company:

Net Zero

We will run a zero-emissions business that uses science-based targets to achieve our greenhouse gas emissions goals. Other businesses have set 2030 as their Net Zero deadline. As a small agency, we think we can achieve this target much faster. We will also explore what it takes to become a Zero Waste company.

A Climate Action Plan

As a Certified B Corp and Public Benefit Corporation, Mightybytes already includes environment, social, and governance (ESG) principles in our decision-making processes. We now have a Climate Action Plan that outlines key goals in the following areas:

• Digital Footprints: How we help our stakeholders improve the social and environmental impacts of their digital products and services
• Emissions: How we reduce emissions across scopes 1, 2, and 3
• Partnerships: How we partner with organizations to create shared value and collective action on climate-related issues
• Education: How we nurture shared learning to support a just transition.

Advocating for Change

Finally, we will utilize our core competencies in design, marketing, and technology to encourage our network to forge policies and strategic partnerships that align with climate emergency guidelines and use their purchasing power for good, including:

• Sharing what we learn with other businesses so that they too can improve performance
• Creating more environment, circular economy, and emissions-focused content on our blog, in our events and presentations, and through other company channels
• Pressuring local and regional politicians to enact climate-friendly legislation, such as carbon pricing, legal carbon emissions targets, and renewable energy legislation

The single greatest impediment to meaningful climate action is the system failure that centers our economy on maximizing profits at the expense of people and the natural world. This leads to short-term decisions that externalize environmental and social costs, creating massive systemic risk and social unrest, and undermining healthy markets.

Business leaders have a vital role to play in calling this system flaw into question at every opportunity, starting first with embedding broader stakeholder interests into their own corporate operating system.

— The Climate Emergency Playbook

Let’s Transform the Economy

Mightybytes has lived these values for most of our years in existence. Since joining the B Corp community in 2011, we have redesigned our business model and become passionate advocates for creating an economy that works for everyone. After nearly two decades of measuring our impact and aligning purpose with profit, we are ready to help other businesses do the same.

Are you struggling with what to do in the face of our pending climate crisis? Mightybytes offers a variety of services to help organizations align digital strategies with climate strategies. If you want to schedule a conversation, feel free to reach out via our contact form or schedule a call directly at this calendar link.