So, now it’s 2010 and business leaders around the world are wondering what their corporate new year’s resolution should look like. With Copenhagen kind of a non-event, and still a fair amount of uncertainty in the air (in terms of specifics on new regulations and targets, NOT regarding climate change itself), what are they to do?

There is much to support greater involvement of business in driving policy changes. While most people consider the business community to be largely at odds with policy makers when it comes to climate change provisions, it doesn’t have to be this way. In fact, this kind of thinking misses a huge opportunity. The business leader/policy maker relationship is actually a double feedback loop. The details of this are complicated, but evident in the 10 Climate Trends That Will Shape Business in 2010 article recently found in GreenBiz.com.

As the public becomes more aware of climate change issues, there is a greater demand for policies to stem the tide. There is also more pressure on businesses to do their part. If businesses choose to get involved in the process instead of burying their heads in the sand, they can make it a win-win. Here’s how:

• Effective corporate action helps educate the public and fence-sitting senators
• Education results in increased support for climate change legislation
• Education results in greater climate issue literacy among business leaders
• Partnering with policy makers gives you a voice
• Lending your voice helps drive policy change
• Policy changes can be tailored to the areas where you see the most benefit for the least effort/cost
• Desirable policy changes increase your bottom line efficiencies and lift profits
• Effective policy change advances the goal and generates more effective corporate action

The perception will be that you are an industry leader, driving climate change policy development. And all you have to do is educate yourself, your management team, and your customers about the effects of climate change on your business. Then aggressively contact your legislative representatives and tell them what you are doing to curb your impact, and how these efforts can be codified into broad reaching legislation. The more companies they hear from, committed to efficiency projects and other low hanging fruit, the more likely they are to take action to create legislation along those lines. Without this involvement, you risk having your targets and methodologies handed to you. Which would you choose?

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Tags: green business, supply chain managment, sustainable business, sustainable marketing