I believe more strongly than ever that the path to a safe climate lies through the arc of justice. I am convinced, in fact, that we will be thwarted in our attempts to address climate change if we do not center justice.
These statements, I realize, are abstract. Even if you agree that justice matters for the climate fight, it’s probably difficult, maybe even impossible, to figure out how to operationalize this in your current organization and community.
Some folks say you have to “change the system.” Well, what does this mean practically? We are all constrained by our positions in our families, workplaces, communities, countries, and histories. Yet we all have some influence in these spaces—and can affect change if we are willing to be courageous, open-hearted, and strategic. We can remake the future to be just and safe while embracing our past.
I’ve noticed that businesses, and those who work in them, struggle the most to figure out what climate justice means for them. Even with the right intentions, the way forward feels unclear.
So I want to share three resources focused on helping businesses chart their path forward in advancing climate justice. These are practical toolkits that any enterprise can adopt today and take their first steps toward integrating justice into their business operations.
And *you* can take the first step of introducing one or more of these into your organization. You can start with a simple brown-bag lunch with friendly colleagues, and collectively chart a plan or strategy. It’s much easier when you don’t have to take the initiative alone!
Three great resources for businesses
1. Elemental Excelerator’s Square Partnerships Model helps businesses integrate climate justice into their work by bringing community organizations into the design and deployment process. This approach ensures that solutions are developed with direct input from those most affected by the business’s activities, resulting in more effective and equitable outcomes.
2. Doughnut Economics Action Lab (DEAL)’s business tools help companies re-evaluate their core design—such as governance, ownership, and purpose—to create business models that prioritize both social equity and environmental sustainability. These tools provide a practical framework to identify and remove barriers to implementing regenerative and distributive practices across any industry.
3. B Corp Climate Collective’s Climate Justice Playbook for Business provides guidance for businesses to embed climate justice by centering the voices and needs of frontline communities most affected by climate change. This tool emphasizes building trust-based relationships, rethinking extractive business practices, and committing to equity-driven solutions that address the climate crisis and also heal past harms.
All three are different yet equally valuable resources—don’t get too caught up in agonizing over which one to start with. Scan them and select one that resonates. Any action toward true and meaningful justice is the right action.
Some tips for moving forward
To do this work, you will need to:
- Be ready to have and facilitate some hard conversations.
- Be willing to forfeit some of your own and your organization’s power to others. This is often the hardest thing—to step back and meaningfully share control over key decisions and actions with others. This starts with the building of trust. It takes time, intentional work, and sincere action.
- Be open to engaging in some deep self-reflection and to new possibilities and directions.
- Lead with your heart—adopt self-kindness and kindness toward your collaborators on this journey as an operating principle. You will fail in this effort at times, and you can always reset and get back on the path.
These tools are not a checklist to get through but a process of personal and organizational transformation to enter into with a learning mindset and a heart of courage. I encourage all business professionals to at least look into it. You may be surprised by how positive the experience is. What could be better than bringing your values and work into alignment?
Finally, if you’re curious about the premise I started with—that climate justice needs to be central to climate action—or you’re otherwise interested in working on climate solutions or deepening your understanding of the topic—check out our Learning for Action course!
