Connecting for climate impact
Urgent action is needed on climate and our new partnership with the Dublin City University (DCU) Centre for Climate and Society will help to drive this
A collective shift in attitudes and behaviours is critical if we are to see the change needed to protect our planet so, in 2022, we focused on creating the relationships and networks to drive this change. These included our founding partnership with the DCU Centre for Climate and Society and the establishment of Chapter Zero Ireland.
We know that we can achieve great things when we all work together and that has never been more relevant than when facing the global transition required to address the climate crisis. As the world’s largest professional services firm, we have a critical role to play in supporting organisations to have a positive impact on climate change, and to achieve a sustainable future on a sustainable planet.
With this in mind, we’ve partnered with DCU to establish the DCU Centre for Climate and Society - Ireland’s first academic research centre devoted to leading societal responses to the climate crisis. This three-year partnership includes an investment of €500,000 to support the Centre’s mission to examine how different social arenas such as politics, media, education, and policy can influence climate action.
Our work with DCU will connect our people and our clients with the latest climate research and insights, with our Sustainability Market Lead Laura Wadding sitting on the Advisory Board to guide the agenda of the centre.
Officially launched in March, the Centre has already engaged in a range of research and education initiatives to think and talk about the climate emergency. These have included delivering webinars to the World Bank on carbon pricing, working with the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on environmental awareness training for commercial pilots, and publishing a report to inform climate action within the Irish local government sector.
President of Ireland Michael D Higgins delivered a striking keynote address at the Centre’s inaugural Climate Action Conference in May, where leaders from across media, business and policy came together for frank and insightful discussions on Ireland’s role in the fight against the climate crisis.
We also recognise the key role of green skills in this transition and have committed to developing a bespoke diploma for our Deloitte workforce to ensure they are confident in navigating this new landscape and inspired to be the voice for climate action in our communities.
Find out more: Research (dcu.ie)
Chapter Zero
This spirit of collaboration was also the driving force behind the launch of Chapter Zero Ireland, a platform to empower non-executive directors to lead crucial boardroom discussions on the impacts of climate change.
Our CEO Harry Goddard is a founding member of the organisation, which was officially launched in May with a keynote speech from Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe. Board members of some of Ireland’s leading companies have already signed up to be part of this exciting initiative, with further events and workshops planned over the coming year.
Find out more: Chapter Zero - IBEC
Green Skills
Developing sustainability skills across all sectors is a key factor in the green transition so we joined forces with several industry bodies to share our expertise in this area.
In 2022, we worked with Chartered Accountants Ireland to develop the Certificate in Sustainability Strategy, Risk and Reporting to give its members a strong foundation in the sustainability and ESG issues that are already impacting business resilience.
We also teamed up with Brokers Ireland to publish Climate Risk: A Guide for Brokers, which provided an overview of how climate change will affect the insurance and investments industries as well as guidance on how to respond to the changing landscape.
Sustainable Finance Ireland (SFI) is a key driver of the green skills agenda in Ireland, and we have had a long standing relationship with the organisation since conducting a deep dive into sustainable finance skills and talent in Ireland in 2019. We have continued this partnership by supporting SFI in its capacity as a member of the United Nations Convened Financial Centres for Sustainability (FC4S), and by conducting a global sustainable finance talent and skills analysis.
We look forward to building on these relationships in the coming year to drive impact that matters in relation to the defining challenge of our time.
Key contacts
Partner, Risk Advisory & Sustainability Leader
