Barratt Developments has become a founding member of a new campaign that has been launched to encourage organisations to get behind the UK’s ambitious 2050 net zero carbon emissions commitment.
The One Planet Pledge has a single aim – to encourage as many companies as possible to commit to helping the UK reach net zero emissions. It is designed to be a simple and effective way for purpose-led organisations to make their public and ambitious pledge by setting their own target date for hitting net zero.
The One Planet Pledge has been launched by former Cabinet Minister, Rt Hon Justine Greening, drawing on her experience as the United Kingdom’s former Secretary of State for International Development.
It was while she held the post that the UN Sustainable Development Goals were formally adopted by the United Nations General Assembly.
In 2019 the UK became the first major economy in the world to make a legal commitment that by 2050 it would end its contribution to global warming.
The One Planet Pledge will mobilise businesses and universities to get behind the Net Zero target and has been developed by the team behind the national Social Mobility Pledge.
Over 450 businesses and 60 universities, representing more than seven million people, have now committed to the Social Mobility Pledge, which was founded by Justine Greening and entrepreneur David Harrison in 2018.
Bukky Bird, Group Sustainability Director at Barratt Developments, said: “We are very pleased to be a founding member of the One Planet Pledge. As the UK’s leading national sustainable housebuilder we recently announced our own science based carbon reduction targets and pledged to become a net zero greenhouse gas emissions (in our operations) business by 2040. Every company needs to take responsibility to tackle climate change and the One Planet Pledge helps us to do that.”
Rt Hon Justine Greening added: “There can be absolutely no doubt that climate change is one of the most urgent and pressing challenges that we face. As UN Secretary-General António Guterres has said, ‘the climate emergency is a race we are losing, but it is a race we can win.’
“Hitting the UK’s 2050 target will need a country-wide effort and the role of business as a force for good is essential. Unarguably economic growth has been responsible for lifting large numbers out of poverty in the last twenty years. But unless we take action, climate change will have a devastating impact that pushes those gains back and risks devastating consequences.
“I have always said that People and Planet are two sides of the same coin. Through the Social Mobility Pledge, businesses and universities have committed to tackling the opportunity gap and levelling up our country.
“Purpose-led organisations like Barratt Developments also have a vital role to play in helping the UK reach Net Zero as soon as possible. I’m very pleased by Barratt Developments’ support on this.”
