How to develop a climate change policy
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What is a climate change policy?
A climate change policy explains how your organisation will reduce its environmental impact and prepare for climate change.
What should it do?
The policy should state your organisation’s position on climate action. It should also set standards to guide decisions, manage risks, meet legal duties and reflect your purpose and values.
The policy should cover how your organisation will:
- reduce its climate impact
- prepare for climate risks
- make climate action fair, inclusive and shaped by affected communities.
Match the policy to your organisation’s size, resources, activities and environmental impact.
Mandatory reporting
Some Australian businesses must report on climate change. They include this information in an annual sustainability report, prepared alongside financial reports.
If your organisation is a charity registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC), you are currently exempt under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth). You can find out more about mandatory climate reporting on the Australian Securities and Investment Commission website.
Even if your organisation doesn’t have to report, voluntary reporting can build trust, encourage positive practices and improve your organisation’s reputation.
Step 1. Assess your environmental impact
Review your organisation’s impact:
- energy and water use
- waste
- transport, touring and travel
- programs, projects and events
- venues, collections and digital systems
- materials and equipment
- sponsorship, funding and partnerships
- banks, insurers, superannuation and investments.
Climate tools and guidance for creative organisations
Find guidance on a range of climate change topics relevant to arts organisations including assessment tools.
- Creative Climate, funded by Creative Australia
- Climate governance for NFP directors, by the Australian Institute of Company Directors
- Julie’s Bicycle, a leading cultural and environmental not-for-profit
- Climate Adaptation and Environmental Action, by the National Association for the Visual Arts
- Environmental Sustainability Policy template, by the Institute of Community Directors Australia.
Step 2. Assess climate risks
Consider how extreme heat, bushfires, smoke, floods, storms and other local hazards might affect your organisation and the communities you work with.
Assess effects on:
- venues, collections, equipment and digital systems
- staff, artists, contractors, audiences and volunteers
- touring, freight, travel and supply chains
- insurance, finances and keeping operations running
- cancellations, postponements and emergency communications
- cultural heritage, Country and community relationships.
Use a human rights-centred approach
Respect human rights, First Nations leadership and local knowledge. Shape your policy around the places and communities affected.
Step 3. Engage and consult
Involve staff, artists, communities and others affected before drafting the policy and seek their feedback on drafts before finalising. You should:
- identify those most affected by decisions and local climate risks
- let people with lived and cultural expertise shape decisions
- pay First Nations advisers, artists and community representatives fairly
- consider how issues like disability access, insecure housing, isolation and cultural safety intersect with climate change considerations
- avoid approaches that shift costs or burdens of adapting to climate change to people with fewer resources.
Step 4. Make commitments
Set measurable commitments based on your priorities and capacity. Identify where your organisation will reduce its impact, improve its practices, address climate-related risks and include climate action in its work.
For each commitment, record:
- a baseline
- what it covers
- who is responsible
- milestones and target dates
- resources or budget
- measures of progress
- how to respond if targets are missed.
Align these commitments and goals with the specific needs and capacity of your organisation, considering its size, resources and art form. Share information with staff to support individual and organisational action.
Considerations
You should also consider:
- how you can work with other arts organisations, industry bodies and community partners to share resources and coordinate action
- how you might integrate climate change considerations into your strategic planning, Reconciliation Action Plan, risk management and mitigation plans.
Ethical decision-making policy
Use an ethical decision-making policy to help guide decisions that have an impact on your commitments to climate action.
Step 5. Monitor and report
Your policy should explain how you will regularly track progress against your goals. Report achievements and challenges openly, using data and feedback.
Measures may include:
- emissions by relevant category
- renewable energy use
- waste, materials, water and travel
- climate-related disruptions and preparedness
- changes to sponsorship, purchasing or investments.
Step 6. Review and improve
Regularly review and update the policy as practices and technologies change. You should also review it after:
- major climate events affecting your organisation or communities
- changes in climate science or regulation
- a new venue, program model, funder or major partnership
- feedback from affected communities, artists, staff, First Nations advisers or access advisers.
