New InfluenceMap lists companies and trade associations blocking climate policy

Companies and trade associations that are obstructing or supporting climate change policy can now be identified by concerned investors using the newly-formed London based non-profit InfluenceMap, which is supported by the US based Union of Concerned Scientists.
The InfluenceMap measures corporations and trade associations on their influence on climate change policy: progressive organisations are at the top of the table, while obstructive companies are at the bottom. It profiles each trade association, summarising their support of, or positions against, climate change policy. For companies, it looks at the strength of their relationship with the trade associations. It uses measures such as social media activity, media reports, consultation responses, CEO messaging and financial disclosure.
InfluenceMap says that 45% of the 100 largest global industrial companies are obstructing climate change legislation, while 95% of these companies are members of trade associations demonstrating the same obstructionist behaviour.
Gretchen Goldman, lead analyst at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said: “More and more, we’re seeing companies rely on their trade groups to do their dirty work of lobbying against comprehensive climate policies. Companies get the delay in policy they want, while preventing nations from acting to fight climate change. It is unacceptable that companies can obstruct climate action in this way without any accountability.”The companies at the bottom of the InfluenceMap table are all in the energy sector: Koch Industries, Reliance Industries, Duke Energy and Phillips 66. Progressive companies on climate change policy at the top of its list are Google, Unilever, Cisco Systems and GlaxoSmithKline. The InfluenceMap’s research finds that despite public communications, few corporations have supported progressive climate policies, and almost half of the world’s largest companies have been involved in directly advocating against climate policy.
The research tool also demonstrates well-known trade associations, with high-profile members, strongly oppose climate change legislation, including the US Chamber of Commerce, the Business Council of Australia, and the Japan Business Federation, which counts almost every major Japanese firm as a member. The tool is already being used by the CDP, ShareAction, CSRHub, PRI and a range of investors. InfluenceMap data fed into an August 2015 report on the chemicals sector from CDP.
Paul Dickinson, executive chairman of the CDP, said: “There is a lack of detailed analysis available in this area, and, sadly, great companies sometimes do bad things by lobbying against government action to avoid dangerous climate change.”
InfluenceMap’s executive director and co-founder is Dylan Tanner, former CEO of Ekobai Holdings, an online marketplace for sustainable suppliers. The project is funded by UK foundations the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust and Tellus Matter.
Link to InfluenceMap