Last month the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, said the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report represents an “atlas of human suffering and a damning indictment of failed climate leadership.” He went on to say, “Nearly half of humanity is living in the danger zone – now. Many ecosystems are at the point of no return – now. Unchecked carbon pollution is forcing the world’s most vulnerable on a frog march to destruction – now.’
How can employers and employees take effective action at this troubling time? Much can be done to reduce the carbon footprint of businesses and of employees. Perhaps it’s time to look at contracts of employment, to include in them a focus on climate, Net Zero and sustainability? This will lead to benefits for employer, employee and planet.
Visit the Chancery Lane Project website for contract clauses with solutions to climate change. Here you will find clauses not only to add to employment contracts but to commercial agreements. Take for example “Athena’s Clause”, a set of Employee Climate Engagement Provisions requiring the employer to provide, and the employee to participate in, a routine of regular climate education and awareness-raising training during working hours. Employees can learn and businesses can prosper. Possibilities for education include:
· the latest climate science including the projected impacts of global warming of 2 degrees as opposed to 1.5 degrees
· the Paris Agreement
· economic and health benefits of reducing the workplace’s environmental impact and carbon footprint.
· sustainable lifestyle changes such as energy efficiency, digital meetings, food and travel choices, renewable energy and smart waste management
· extreme weather events, climate change and immigration, protection and enhancement of biodiversity and ecosystems, low carbon technology innovations
A further option is for the employer to publish metrics internally on its carbon footprint and behavioural changes, together with any avoided emissions for example from travel or utilities or resource use.
Also of interest to employers and employees is the Chancery Lane Project’s Net Zero Culture Employment Handbook. This provides Net Zero and sustainability clauses for employment handbooks. These issues can permeate all levels of the employment relationship and encourage development of a Net Zero culture in the company.
And can “Garden leave” be productive? “Eric's Clause” repurposes Garden leave and employee sabbaticals as opportunities to volunteer with environmental organisations by integrating climate-conscious employer-employee obligations into employment contracts.
For more information or to speak with Roy Magara, a specialist employment lawyer at Magara Law, please call 01869 325 883 or email roy@magaralaw.co.uk. Magara law is an employment law firm based in Bicester, Banbury and Paddington, London, and services clients nationwide.
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