The Carbon Consulting Company (CCC) recently invited Tom Popple, Senior Manager, Climate Change & Sustainability, Natural Capital Partners, to inspire and inform Sri Lankan business leaders, on the value of taking credible climate action, at the Kingsbury Hotel on 6th March 2019.

At Asia’s first Climate Cocktail Club, the celebrated speaker showcasedthe seven components of building a credible and successful net zero programme, through the innovative “Imprinting Net Zero” model. Evidence shows that profitable businesses have ambitious sustainability programmes. A wider group of stakeholders are now engaged with the sustainability performance of company, including investors, employees, customers, and civil society. The role of social media has driven greater transparency in the business sector, and also provided new opportunities for sustainable businesses to create brand value. A credible net zero emission programme, as part of an ambitious sustainability programme is now a critical risk management strategy.

Seeking to generate greater awareness of the roadmap to achievingnet zero status, CCC involved the Sri Lankanbusiness community into this forumto empower and enable local leaders to take credible climate action. Tom Popple,Senior Manager, Climate Change and Sustainability, of Natural Capital Partners commented “Business can play a critical role in addressing climate change by becoming carbon neutral, also reaping a range of benefits for the company. Sri Lankan businesses have a unique opportunity to take the lead in Asia, and create a profitable green economy built on net zero emissions”.Tom is responsible for the design, development and delivery of impact-led sustainability programmes for a portfolio of global clients, including many brands who operate or have suppliers in Sri Lanka and the wider region. For over 20 years Natural Capital Partners have been recognised leaders in corporate climate action, and are at the forefront of innovation, delivering credible sustainability programmes for many of the world’s biggest companies, including Microsoft, H&M, Marks and Spencer, Interface, VMware, H&M and PwC.

The global climate change negotiation process at government level via the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), has called upon business leaders to contribute to the development of the net zero economy. In response to that call to action, Natural Capital Partners created a series of Talanoa Dialogues to understand the views of business leaders. Set over seven events, they heard from 61 different companies representing USD 1.3 trillion of combined revenue. The Talanoa Dialogue series found that successful companies can deliver impact via seven key prints – Tail, Foot, Hand, Brain, Finger, Blue and News – named the “Imprinting Net Zero” model. Tom outlined this model and the business value drivers to the audience of Sri Lankan business leaders.