Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) make up the majority of global business. Therefore, it is crucial that SMEs are equipped with the tools, resources and framework needed to commit to and accelerate climate action and ensure long-term business viability.
The webinar will support SMEs globally to develop their climate commitments and action by helping them to:
25 minutes
Panel discussion on the value of SME climate action and disclosure
Sonya Bhonsle, Global Head of Value Chain (CDP), Gabrielle Ginér, Head of Sustainability (BT) and Catherine Westoby, Senior Policy adviser, Public Behaviour Change on Net Zero (BEIS)
10 minutes
The SME Climate Disclosure Framework
Farheen Altaf, Senior Technical Officer for the SME Project, CDP
10 minutes
Tool and resources available to SMEs
Lydia Elliot, Supply Chains Manager, SME Climate Hub
5 minutes
Disclosing to CDP as an SME
Adele Rowlands, Value Chain Officer, CDP
10 minutes
Q & A
Moderated by Sonya Bhonsle, Global Head of Value Chain & Regional Director, CDP
Sonya Bhonsle is the Global Head of Value Chains & Regional Director Corporations at CDP. She leads CDP’s work on value chains including CDP’s supply chain program which enables major multinationals and governments to achieve sustainable supply chains, influencing trillions of annual procurement spend. Sonya has over 17 years of environmental experience, both in the public and private sector.
Gabrielle Ginér has lead BT's environmental sustainability program since 2009, developing BT's carbon targets (1.5°C science-based target and abatement target for products and services). Gabrielle developed BT’s environmental sustainability supply chain engagement program, is BT's lead on the 1.5°C Supply Chain Leaders initiative and SME Climate Hub and has chaired the UNFCCC Global Climate Action Awards Advisory Panel.
Catherine Westoby is the Net Zero Business Engagement lead for the Clean Growth Directorate in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). She led the Together for Our Planet Business Climate Leaders campaign for Andrew Griffith MP ahead of COP26. Catherine has over ten years’ experience in stakeholder engagement, having worked at Transport for London before joining BEIS in March 2020.
Lydia Elliot is the Supply Chains Manager at the We Mean Business Coalition, and works across net-zero climate action and supply chains strategy. For the SME Climate Hub, a core initiative of the We Mean Business Coalition, Lydia strengthens collaboration with multinational companies and helps to develop the tools that small and medium sized businesses need to take climate action.
Farheen Altaf is the Senior Technical Officer for the SME Project at CDP, and developed the SME Climate Disclosure Framework in collaboration with the SME Climate Hub partners. Fahreen is trained in the GHG Protocol’s Corporate and Scope 3 Standards. Prior to CDP, Fahreen supported Manchester city council’s partnership to drive climate action and reduce emissions in line with the city’s Zero Carbon Framework.
Adele Rowlands is CDP's Value Chain Officer, working primarily on the SME Climate Action Tracking, Accountability and Acceleration Project. Adèle manages collection and implementation of feedback from the various project stakeholders. Prior to joining CDP, she completed an MSc course in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation from Imperial College London, focusing on fundamental concepts and their application to biodiversity science.
SME Climate Hub
The SME Climate Hub is a global initiative that aims to mainstream climate action in the small to medium sized business community and foster more resilient businesses through climate action. Over 4,000 companies have joined the SME Climate Hub, committing to cut carbon emissions in half by 2030 and reach net zero emissions before 2050.
The initiative provides the tools and resources SMEs need to reduce their emissions and measure their progress towards net zero. Founded by We Mean Business Coalition and the Exponential Roadmap Initiative, the SME Climate Commitment is the official pathway for small and medium sized businesses to join the United Nations global Race to Zero campaign.