Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and students specifically those at the university level have being targeted by a campaign dubbed path to NetZero to take into consideration good business practices that reduce the impact of climate change.
Photo: Shared Value Foundation in Moi University
The campaign is spearheaded by Shared Value Foundation working in collaboration with the Shared Value Hub(SVH) and Sustainable Business Consulting(SBC).
In an interview with Opera News, Gladys Kivati, director and lead sustainability consultant at SBC and advisor with the SVH, intimated that they are targeting university students (studentpreneurs) because they are best poised to change and or impact climate change positively in the future.
Photo: Ms Gladys Kivati(in frame) director and lead sustainability consultant at Sustainable Business Consulting.
“We as an organization are planning to go on a campus tour countrywide. We will first target 5 major universities and we have already been to Moi University, Eldoret.” She said.
Photo: Shared Value Foundation Team: Gladys Kivati, Ferdnand Muganda, Gertrude Musau, Emanuella Obota in Moi University
Why Students?
Ms Kivati believes and strongly holds the opinion that students have a role to play in the decisions that are being made today.
“The transition to a climate-safe world with net-zero emissions is unstoppable and has already begun…as a student one can live a lifestyle that is less wasteful and have a positive impact.” She added.
Students who are yet to find a niche in entrepreneurship are also not left behind by the foundation because it is calling on students to consider responsible companies when looking for employment that is working towards reducing the impact on climate change in their operation and influence such practices at the workplace.
SMEs
According to world reports like the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), (OECD), (WRI), etc. companies have all around the world being responsible for 71% of carbon emissions that cause global warming.
Companies are therefore advised by the intergovernmental body to take a stand by reducing carbon emissions, making a climate action plan, and supporting policies that advance climate change severity.
The shared value foundation working in partnership with SVH and SBC have come up with accelerator programs to make climate commitment and access tools and resources to achieve net-zero.
Their vision is to accelerate and commercialize transformative climate change solutions. One of the programs has been able to impact more than 400 households with more than 20 enterprises supported.
According to Ms Kivati, the Shared Value Hub is an accelerator program targeting idea-stage companies and growth-stage companies addressing climate change-related issues.
The pre-accelerator program is a virtual 3 months program targeting idea stage business with the accelerator program a 6-month program that targets growth-stage companies supporting them with technical advisory, mentorship, and coaching from global advisors and access to finance.
Content created and supplied by: Kelvinxfm (via Opera News )
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