Making corporate climate transitions work: business guidance for implementing just and equitable transition plans

Report

Companies have positive and negative impacts on people’s wellbeing. The decisions companies make ripple through communities including their workers, supply chains and customers.

As increasing numbers of companies set voluntary net zero targets, the impacts of business transformations are coming under scrutiny. The political and social headwinds companies encounter whilst on the path to corporate climate action makes managing impacts on people key not only to delivering a ‘just transition’, but also for ensuring the sustainability of long-term business transformations.

In this context, a narrow focus on emissions reductions - so-called “carbon tunnel vision”, risks undermining broader sustainability goals: corporate climate transition plans that neglect social or environmental dimensions can lead to long-term setbacks.

Integrating justice and equity principles affords companies more holistic and durable transition plans that prioritise maintaining public support, broaden constituencies of interest in successful climate goals, and remove barriers to action.

Across seven steps, the Brief sets out a roadmap to help companies understand how and why just transition plans should be created and implemented. The guidance is intended to support companies through the process of deciding, in partnership with groups affected by climate transition plans, what the outcomes of the just transition should be for their organisation.

Authors: Becker, M; McGivern, A; Chilinda, M; Kadena, SP; Gonsalves Wetherell, S

• Publication status: Published
• Publisher: Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment
• Publication date: 2025-06-17
• Language: English
• Keywords: just transition; corporate climate action; net zero