Developing partnerships is an important and useful strategy on the road to reducing carbon emissions. Whether it’s carefully selecting suppliers who share your sustainability values and goals, or reaching out to community organizations that can share their expertise on best practices, developing partnerships is a crucial step on your journey.  

At CarbonSuite, we know how important partnerships can be and we are here to help you utilize partnerships to help satisfy your sustainability goals as effectively as possible. First you will need to identify which type of partners would be most beneficial to your business, then we will go through the steps to developing a successful partnership. Let’s get started! 

Step 1: Identify Potential Partners

The first step in developing a partnership is to identify what type of partner may be right for your business case. It is best to identify partners who share your sustainability goals and values. Below are some different categories which partnerships can fall under: 

Partnership Option 1: Suppliers

Collaborating with suppliers can help to optimize the entire supply chain, from raw materials sourcing to product delivery. Together you can identify opportunities to reduce emissions, such as using alternative transportation modes, implementing efficient packaging solutions, or adopting sustainable manufacturing processes. You can also engage with suppliers who are already committed to sustainable practices. This can include environmentally conscious sourcing, reduced emissions in their operations, and efficient logistics. 

Many major companies are already doing this. Check out some examples of industry leaders working with suppliers to help achieve their sustainability goals. 

• UberEats has developed partnerships to help merchants transition to sustainable packaging. They provide a list of partners by country that provide sustainable packaging products and even offer discounts to merchants using UberEats. Read more here.
• Walmart partners with suppliers like Unilever, as part of their “Project Gigaton” which works to reduce emissions across its supply chain by one billion metric tons by 2030. 

Some major companies are even requiring that suppliers are working in line with their sustainability goals. Check out our list of Corporate Supplier Sustainability Policies. 

Partnership Option 2: Customers

Collaborate with customers who value sustainability and prioritize working with companies that demonstrate a commitment to reducing their carbon footprint.

When selecting potential customers, keep in mind your own sustainability goals and look for customers whose practices and policies are in line with yours. For example, if you are a supplier of organic, sustainably sourced cotton, you can look for companies who have ESG plans and targets in place. That way, you can help each other meet your sustainability targets. 

Partnership Option 3: Industry Peers

Seek opportunities for collaboration with industry peers to address common challenges, share best practices, and collectively drive emissions reductions within the sector. This can include collaboration for sustainable changes within your sector or supply chain, advocacy for policy changes, or even co-investment in clean technology. Let’s have a deeper look at these options: 

Collaboration for Industry Change

Working with industry peers is a great way to drive change within your sector. You can work together to set new standards for your own businesses, driving change within the entire market. 

For example, leading fashion brands such as H&M, Nike, Kering, ASOS, and Adidas have demonstrated this under the Global Fashion Agenda to promote sustainable fashion practices. This group focuses on circular fashion, climate action, and responsible consumption within the industry.

Co-investment in Sustainable Projects

Co-investing in clean technologies, carbon-capture, and infrastructure projects with industry peers can be a great tool in achieving your ESG targets. Pooling resources and expertise can accelerate the adoption of renewable energy, energy-efficient equipment, or sustainable transportation solutions. This can include shared funding or joint ventures to support the development and implementation of innovative technologies that reduce emissions.

For example, Amazon, along with partners like Microsoft and Unilever, is co-investing in clean technologies through the Climate Pledge Fund, a $2 billion venture fund focused on supporting companies that are developing sustainable technologies. This includes innovations in renewable energy, energy storage, electric vehicles, and carbon capture technologies.

Advocacy for Policy Changes

Collaborate with partners to advocate for policy changes that support emissions reductions and sustainability goals. Jointly engage with policymakers at local, regional, and national levels to promote favorable regulations, incentives, or market mechanisms that drive the adoption of low-carbon practices. Collective advocacy carries more weight and increases the likelihood of policy changes aligned with sustainability objectives.

For example, Ford, General Motors, and Tesla have advocated together for stronger fuel efficiency and electric vehicle (EV) policies in the U.S. They supported California’s efforts to maintain stringent vehicle emissions standards, which push for more electric vehicle adoption and lower carbon emissions in the automotive industry. These companies often lobby for federal policies that expand EV infrastructure and promote clean transportation.

Partnership Option 4: Community Organizations 

Partner with local environmental groups, non-profits, or governmental organizations to leverage their expertise, access resources, and contribute to broader sustainability initiatives. This can be useful to gain insights and resources, within a particular area of interest. These partnerships can also help with selecting sustainable suppliers, tracking progress towards goals, and bringing visibility to your company’s sustainability initiatives. 

Here are some examples of major companies partnering with community organizations as part of their sustainability initiative: 

• Patagonia partners with 1% for the Planet, donating 1% of its sales to environmental causes. T
• Apple partners Conservation International in its efforts to protect and restore critical ecosystems and develop carbon sequestration projects. These initiatives include reforestation and sustainable agriculture projects in Latin America,
• Levi’s partners with the Better Cotton Initiative to sustainably source cotton used in its products. The initiative promotes environmentally friendly farming techniques that use less water and fewer pesticides. 
• Microsoft partnered with The Nature Conservancy to support sustainable water management practices and reduce environmental degradation through conservation. 

Step 2: Establish Your Partnership

Once you have identified a potential partnership, you can get started on your plan of action. Here we will go through the steps to executing a successful partnership. 

When establishing  your partnership, it is crucial that you and your new partner are on the same page. To do so, make sure you set shared emissions reduction goals and establish clear metrics to measure progress and hold each partner accountable. Ensure you are aligned on the methodology and reporting so that you are accurately and clearly meeting your goals measuring your progress. This will create a strong, stable foundation for the partnership, enabling you and your partners to work together towards a common objective.

Get aligned on sustainability goals

 Make sure your values are aligned and you have the same objective aligned as far as your sustainability goals are concerned. Depending on your goals, set shared milestones and progress expectations. Make sure you are holding each other accountable in achieving these goals. 

Establish a reporting system

 Determine what type of reporting method you will be using to track progress towards your goals. Whether it is through a third party like the Climate Disclosure Project (CDP), or through your own unique platform, this is a very important aspect of your partnership. 

Stay involved

Set up regular meetings, workshops, or forums where partners can share insights, experiences, and best practices. Encourage open communication with your partners to drive continuous improvement and collective learning.

Celebrate Achievements

Regularly communicate the progress, achievements, and collective impact resulting from your partnerships. Share your success stories, highlight emissions reductions, and showcase the value of collaboration in driving sustainable practices. Transparent communication inspires others and fosters a culture of sustainability. It also satisfies consumers who are now more than ever looking for transparency within the marketplace.

 

Still not sure where to begin?

Partnering with CarbonSuite is a great place to get started! We’ll help you measure your carbon footprint so you have the data you need to set clear, achievable sustainability goals. Get in touch with us to start your journey today.