We Mean Business Coalition, CDP, Ceres Publish 7-Step Framework to Drive Supplier Climate Engagement

• Only 41% of companies are engaging suppliers on climate—leaving major gaps in value chain resilience.
• Supplier award programs make suppliers 3.2x more likely to set science-based climate targets.
• An estimated 193M tonnes of CO₂e could be avoided if supplier-submitted emissions reduction projects were implemented.

To build resilient supply chains, start with supplier engagement.

As climate risks intensify and value chains become more vulnerable to disruption, companies must ensure their suppliers are aligned on decarbonization goals. Yet according to CDP’s 2023 data, only 41% of reporting companies are engaging their suppliers on climate, leaving significant opportunity—and risk—on the table.

“Whether you’re just starting or scaling up your approach, Building Resilient Supply Chains: Getting the Most out of Supplier Engagement will help you build stronger, more future-proofed supply chains,” notes the guidance behind these strategies.

Here are seven tactics to elevate supplier engagement and accelerate climate progress:

1. Build a cross-functional dream team
   Engage procurement, sustainability, finance, and operations leaders to drive consistent messaging and aligned priorities.
2. Set clear, measurable goals
   Define what success looks like. Use targets and KPIs to benchmark progress and hold internal teams—and suppliers—accountable.
3. Ask suppliers to set their own targets
   Even minimal engagement can catalyze action. Just 17% of SMEs have received decarbonization requests from corporate buyers, meaning many are waiting for a nudge.
4. Leverage tools and data
   Use platforms like CDP and other supply chain management tools to track supplier performance and climate impact.
5. Prioritize by impact and readiness
   Focus resources on suppliers with the greatest emissions footprint and highest likelihood to take action.
6. Create meaningful incentives
   Recognition works: “Suppliers are 3.2x more likely to set a science-based target if climate change is featured in supplier award schemes,” highlighting the power of strategic incentives.
7. Plan ahead
   Supplier engagement is a long game. Companies should be prepared with capacity-building resources, escalation pathways, and long-term commitments.

By engaging suppliers, companies aren’t just future-proofing their own operations—they’re unlocking real, measurable climate progress. In fact, 193 million tonnes of CO₂e could be avoided if the emissions reduction ideas submitted by over 5,500 suppliers in CDP’s Supply Chain program were implemented.

The takeaway:

Start now. Engage strategically. Build climate resilience across your value chain—before it’s too late.

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