2021 Climate Leadership Award Winners

Organizational Leadership Award

Individual Leadership Award

Goal Achievement Award

Goal Setting Certificate

Innovative Partnership Certificate

Supply Chain Leadership Award

Organizational Leadership (Large and Midsize)

Entergy Corporation

Entergy

Entergy is an integrated energy company engaged in electric power production, transmission and retail distribution operations. Entergy delivers electricity to 3 million customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. Entergy owns and operates approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, including 7,000 megawatts of nuclear power. Entergy was the first U.S. utility to voluntarily limit carbon dioxide emissions, and its carbon emission rate is the fifth lowest among the top 20 privately owned and investor-owned power producers. Headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, Entergy has annual revenues of $10 billion and approximately 12,500 employees. Entergy is being recognized for an Organizational Leadership Award for the following achievements:

Creating near-term and long-term climate commitments: to reduce 50% of scope 1 emission rate from 2000 to 2030, and achieve net-zero emissions for scope 1, 2, and some scope 3 categories by 2050.
Investing in modern, efficient natural gas generation—primarily combined cycle gas turbine power plants—to retire older, less-efficient legacy units. Entergy plans to cease burning coal at 80 percent of its coal generation fleet by 2030, and is evaluating advanced technology such as green hydrogen and carbon capture to enhance this portfolio transformation strategy.
Investing in existing nuclear units to preserve their useful life, and monitoring the evolution of advanced nuclear technologies
Investing heavily in renewable energy resources and storage capability, with 3,500-4,000 megawatts of renewable generation capacity planned to be on-line by 2030.
Partnering with stakeholders and customers in other sectors of the economy to help them electrify their operations, use energy more efficiently, and ultimately reduce carbon emissions.
Preparing for the impacts of climate change by investing billions of dollars in grid modernization and resiliency, as well as investing in the health and resiliency of communities through the Environmental Initiatives Fund.

Microsoft

Microsoft Corporation is a multinational technology company headquartered in Redmond, Washington. They develop, manufacture, license, support, and sell computer software, electronics, personal computers, and services. Microsoft has substantial operations in the United States, as well as Europe and Asia, they serve customers in more than 100 countries. Microsoft reported revenues of $143 billion for fiscal year 2020, and employs more than 156,000 people. Microsoft Corporation is being recognized for an Organizational Leadership Award for the following achievements:

Setting a goal to reduce scope 1, 2, and relevant scope 3 emissions by greater than 50% from 2017 to 2030, as part of the broader commitments to be carbon negative by 2030 and to remove all the carbon that Microsoft has emitted since its founding in 1975 by 2050.
Establishing an internal carbon fee to hold all Microsoft business divisions financially responsible for their emissions and influence energy and travel choices throughout the company. In July 2020, the internal carbon tax was expanded to cover all scope 3 emissions (previously covered all scope 1 and 2, and scope 3 travel emissions). Fee funds are used to pay for sustainability improvements, including the purchase of 30 billion kilowatt-hours of green power.
Investing in quality green power investments such as Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and procuring 100% green power for operations in all markets where it is available. Microsoft has maintained 100% green power usage across U.S. operations for 5 consecutive years and is committed to using 100% renewable energy globally by 2030.
Accelerating the deployment of scientifically-sound carbon reduction, capture, and removal technologies with investments from Microsoft’s Climate Innovation Fund.
Launching an external supplier engagement program to significantly reduce scope 3 emissions associated with purchased goods and services. A 2020 update to the Supplier Code of Conduct requires suppliers to calculate and report their scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions data as a first step towards helping suppliers reduce their emissions in alignment with Microsoft’s goals.
Reducing internal energy use by investing in energy efficiency improvements in new buildings and datacenters, and announcing an all-electric campus-operations vehicle fleet and eliminating dependency on diesel fuel by 2030.

United Airlines

Together, United and United Express operate approximately 4,900 flights a day to 362 airports across six continents, and in 2019 operated more than 1.7 million flights carrying more than 162 million customers. United is being recognized for an Organizational Leadership Award for the following achievements:

Committing to reduce 100% of scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions by 2050, without relying on carbon offsets. In 2018, United was the first U.S. airline to set a GHG reduction goal (50% by 2050).
Leading the industry in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Since United became the first U.S. airline (and second globally) to fly a SAF-powered flight in 2009, approximately 50 airlines have begun integrating SAF in their operations. In 2016 United was the first airline globally to integrate SAF into everyday use with greater than 60% reduction in lifecycle GHG emissions as compared to traditional jet fuel. United continues to invest in SAF production, recently announcing the largest publicly announced SAF agreement to purchase 1.5 billion gallons of SAF from Alder Fuels, and work with industry trade organizations and stakeholders to accelerate the development of SAF and push it toward economic viability.
In the short term, focusing on fuel and operational efficiencies, and in the long term, renewing a fleet of older aircraft with newer energy-efficient models.
Electrifying ground support equipment at numerous airports, and implementing strong energy efficiency measures in United’s headquarters.
Launching United Airlines Ventures (UAV), a corporate venture fund, aimed at investing in emerging companies focusing on sustainability, aerospace, and other emerging technologies. A key focus area of UAV is to invest in technologies that will enable United to achieve its climate goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.
In April 2021, United launched the first-of-its-kind Eco-Skies Alliance program, with more than a dozen leading global corporations that will collectively contribute towards the purchase of about 3.4 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). This significant demand signal enables participants to reduce their aviation related impact at the source. Participants in this program include Autodesk, Boston Consulting Group, Deloitte, DHL Global Forwarding, DSV Panalpina, HP Inc., Palantir, Siemens, and Takeda Pharmaceuticals.

Individual Leadership

Leo Denault, Entergy Corporation

Entergy

Chairman and CEO Leo Denault is being recognized with a Climate Leadership Award for Individual Leadership.

Highlights from his recent efforts include:

Releasing the company’s first formal climate report in 2019, which includes new emissions reduction targets.
Announcing plans to intensify carbon-reduction strategies with a new commitment to reduce scope 1 emissions intensity by 50% from 2000 to 2030, and a goal of reaching net-zero emissions from scope 1, 2, and some scope 3 categories by 2050.
Partnering with the US Business Council for Sustainable Development to organize the Gulf Coast Carbon Collaborative, which brought together nearly 5 dozen Gulf Coast industry representatives in a first-of-its-kind industry initiative focused on cross-sector solutions to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Continuing to support, study, and invest in climate resilience measures in the Gulf Coast.
Announcing the creation of KeyString Labs, an innovation center that focuses on engaging stakeholders, evaluating new technologies, and developing scalable and innovative customer solutions. Programs and initiatives aim to deliver positive climate impacts, including electrification and shore power services to reduce emissions from diesel engines, and shared solar power solutions that make clean energy participation easy for customers.
Continuing to advocate for market-based solutions to climate risk and support federal legislation to incentivize lower carbon emissions on an economy-wide basis.
Partnering with Invenergy to co-develop and grow the number of renewable energy facilities in the Gulf South region, and beginning a carbon emissions reduction collaboration with Mitsubishi Power to co-fire hydrogen produced from zero-carbon energy.
Partnering with customers to electrify other industrial sectors, such as transportation and industry, for net-emission reductions and community benefits.
Offering more than 40 energy efficiency and demand-side management programs to reduce the overall cost to consumers, and support low-income and sustainability initiatives.

Paula Gold-Williams, CPS Energy

CPS Energy is the largest U.S. municipal electric and gas utility. It serves the City of Antonio and some surrounding areas, serving a population of 2.3 million in 2020 with some of the lowest residential bills in the nation. CPS Energy is among the top municipally owned wind energy buyers in the nation and ranks number one in Texas and number 5 in the nation for solar generation. CPS is near 50% carbon neutral in power capacity and has a focused transition plan to achieve greater carbon reduction. CPS reports $2.6 billion of gross utility annual revenues.

CEO Paula Gold-Williams has been with the company since 2004 and is the nation’s only African American female CEO of a major U.S. electric utility. She is being recognized with a Climate Leadership Award for Individual Leadership.

Highlights from her recent efforts include:

Achieving nearly 50% of total capacity from clean power, and managing the transition to full carbon neutrality in 2050 while providing reliable and affordable electricity.
Making a commitment in 2019 to reduce net emissions by 80% by 2040 with a ‘Flexible Path’ strategy. She established the Flex POWER Bundle designed to add up to 900 MW of solar resources and 50 MW of energy storage as part of this strategy.
Partnering with the Mayor and City of San Antonio in its San Antonio Climate Action and Adaptation Plan.
Closing two coal fired units between 2018 and 2019.
Launching the Save for Tomorrow Energy Plan (STEP) program that saved 845 MW of electricity in 2019 through successful energy efficiency and energy conservation.
Maintaining CO2 reduction with emissions rates dropping to 827 lbs/mwh in 2019 from 2000 lbs/mwh in 1980.

Keith Kerman, NYC Fleet, Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS)

The NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) manages five main areas: fleet, procurement, human capital, energy, and real estate. Sustainability is core to the DCAS mission, especially for the NYC Fleet which manages the largest municipal fleet in the United States at more than 30,000 units. DCAS has an annual operating budget of $92 billion, and NYC Fleet has approximately 2,000 employees working in fleet servicing and dispatch and nearly 80,000 municipal fleet operators.

Chief Fleet Officer Keith Kerman is being recognized with a Climate Leadership Award for Individual Leadership.

Highlights from his recent efforts include:

Developing and implementing the NYC Clean Fleet Plan, which commits to reducing emissions from the city fleet 50% by 2025 and 80% by 2035.
Proposing and managing the full implementation of a $20 million+ program of resilience investment after Hurricane Sandy. Investments include key resources such as generators, fuel trucks, water pumps, forklifts, light towers, and solar carports.
Leading the implementation of biofuels in fleet and heating. Keith began NYC’s use of biofuels in 2005 in a previous role at NYC Parks, and has since worked to expand programs citywide and develop local laws to codify this effort.
Making NYC Fleet a national leader in fleet electrification. Keith manages a fleet of 3,100+ electric vehicles and nearly 5,300 hybrids, and a network of over 1,070 electric charging stations. The federal CAFE equivalent for new light duty vehicles in the NYC Fleet has been over 100 MPG for the last 3 years.
Working to address the gap in public understanding about the effectiveness and potential cost savings of a sustainable fleet. For over 20 years, Keith has organized a Fleet and Equipment Show as a learning opportunity for government, non-profit, and corporate fleet purchasers, along with the general public. At the show on Sept 22, 2021, NYC announced a new $75 million investment in fleet electrification.
Writing and implementing an Executive Order to reduce at least 1,000 vehicles from the NYC fleet and to install telematics (including idling practices, fuel economy, wasteful practices) to advance efficient fleet management.
Writing and implementing an Executive Order to transition to an all-electric City fleet by 2040.
Launching a Renewable Diesel initiative in 2018 which has thus far implemented nearly 1 million gallons of renewable diesel in the NYC Fleet.
Developing and implementing a $14.3 million program to install at least 100 fast EV chargers and 87 mobile solar carports.
Partnering with FDNY and NYPD to push the introduction of hybrid, plug-in, and biodiesel vehicles that are responsive to the technical needs of emergency response teams.
Developing partnerships with international city fleet managers and sustainability advocacy groups to promote larger adoption of sustainable fleets.

Celine Ramstein, World Bank Group

The World Bank Group is one of the world’s largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries, and aims to reducing poverty, increasing shared prosperity, and promoting sustainable growth and development. Addressing climate change is part of the World Bank’s core mission as it threatens to erode development gains around the world, and its effects are greatest on the poorest and most vulnerable countries.

Two years ago, the Bank announced a new corporate carbon emissions reduction target to reduce direct and indirect carbon emissions from its global facilities by 28 percent by 2026, from a 2016 baseline. In 2019, the Bank Group signed the Cool Food Pledge, committing to reduce food-related emissions from cafeterias, coffee bars, and catering operations at headquarters by 25 percent by 2030.

Celine Ramstein is recognized with a Climate Leadership Award for Individual Leadership. Highlights from her recent efforts include:

In her current institution:

Co-founding the Sustainability Initiative, an internal grassroot movement aimed at getting World Bank to “walk the talk” on climate change. In the past years, the group grew from a handful of co-founders to more than 200 throughout the world. Its efforts led to institutional changes and great progress in internal sustainability practices. Celine also helped revive the sustainability working group of the Staff Association, of which she was elected as co-chair.
Pushing for change at the highest levels of the World Bank, working with committed colleagues throughout the institution and leading to the adoption of the first internal GHG emission reduction target at COP24 in 2018 and the reconvening of a high-level Corporate Responsibility Oversight Committee, for example.

Throughout her career and in her personal life:

During the last decade, she has aligned her career with her values. She worked on the COP21 negotiations, supported the development of renewable energy and resilient energy projects in Africa, led technical global studies on carbon pricing policies, questioning the conditions for its acceptability, and fostered collaborations between countries on policies supporting a more sustainable and just future.
Celine has created or participated in efforts to improve sustainability practices in all organizations she has been part of from university onward. She also serves as a volunteer in her neighborhood to provide conservation education and concrete support to neediest families struggling to reduce their utility expenses and improve their home’s energy efficiency.
Celine believes that public outreach is key to building climate consciousness, and she always tries to find space in her free time to participate in educational events to share knowledge on climate change and climate policies.

Michel Vounatsos, Biogen

Biogen is one of the world’s first global biotechnology companies, which today has the leading portfolio of medicines to address significant unmet needs in neuroscience. Biogen’s 7,400 employees work to discover, develop, and deliver innovative therapies for people living with serious neurological and neurodegenerative diseases. The company reports an annual revenue of $14.4 billion.

CEO Michel Vounatsos is being recognized with a Climate Leadership Award for Individual Leadership.

Highlights from his recent efforts include:

Michel’s strategic management of Biogen is grounded in the belief that climate change is one of the greatest public health crises today – disproportionately impacting the most vulnerable among us. Under the leadership of Michel Vounatsos, Biogen became the first U.S. biotech company to join the Business Ambition for 1.5, aiming to go beyond carbon neutral or even net-zero to achieve zero Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions.
Working consistently to reduce Biogen’s operational impacts on the environment by purchasing 100% renewable electricity and joining EV100 to transition its vehicle fleet to 100% renewable energy.
Directing Biogen to develop a scientific collaboration with Harvard’s Center for Climate Health and the Global Environment (C-CHANGE) to articulate the scientific consensus around links between climate change and brain health, and outline a forward-looking research agenda.
Convening the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO)—biotech’s trade organization—to focus on sustainability. He recently led a summit discussion on the connections between climate, health, and equity—explaining emerging best practices for emissions reductions and urging the BIO board to adopt new industry standards.
Joining the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, the United Nations Business Ambition for Climate and Health, and many other groups to advocate for bold climate action and highlight the interrelated challenges between climate, health, and equity. He also signed on to We Are Still In to support the Paris Agreement.
Spearheading the Healthy Climate, Healthy Lives initiative, a 20-year, $250M climate agenda, including a fossil-fuel free commitment, employee engagement programs, and new scientific collaborations.

Dawn Weisz, MCE

MCE is California’s first Community Choice Aggregation program, and is a not-for-profit public agency providing more renewable power at stable rates, significantly reducing energy-related greenhouse gas emissions, and enabling millions of dollars of reinvestment in local energy programs. MCE provides electricity to 540,000 customer accounts and more than one million residents and businesses in 37 communities across the Bay Area. MCE has invested in customer programs to incentivize local renewable energy development, grow the clean energy economy, and support energy equity. They have an annual operating revenue of $450 million.

CEO Dawn Weisz is being recognized with a Climate Leadership Award for Individual Leadership. Dawn founded MCE in 2008 in her previous role as planning director for Marin County. Under Dawn’s leadership MCE has grown to become the default electricity provider across 37 member communities and provides a minimum of 60% renewable electricity service, doubling the amount of renewable energy delivered to each customer.

Highlights from her recent efforts include:

Spearheading local renewable energy generation projects, which support hundreds of local green jobs. Projects include MCE Solar One, a 10.5 MW solar farm on 60 acres of a repurposed/remediated brownfield site and one of the bay area’s largest public-private solar partnerships.
Launching energy savings programs through MCE that offer property owners rebates on energy and water saving measures.
Launching the Healthy Homes program which provides upgrades to improve health, safety, and efficiency of Marin County homes. In addition, MCE provides income-qualified EV rebates and solar rebates.
Expanding MCE’s energy resiliency efforts. This has included providing off-grid portable batteries to 100 medically vulnerable residents to help them during power outages and reduce the strain on renewable energy in the grid. She has also helped create MCE’s $7 million resilience fund to help alleviate grid outages that threaten community safety, health and welfare and disproportionately affect vulnerable populations.
Funding and installing more than 1,100 EV charging ports in MCE’s service area.
Building out the future of green hydrogen in MCE’s service area to expand the use of carbon-free fuel.

Goal Achievement

Bank of America

Bank of America is one of the world’s leading financial institutions, offering wealth management, corporate and investment banking, and trading services to corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America serves 66 million consumer and small business clients, and reports an annual revenue of $91.24 billion. Bank of America is being recognized for Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management (Goal Achievement Award) for the following:

Reducing global Scope 1 and 2 emissions 56% from 2010 to 2020, exceeding their goal of 50%.
Purchasing 100% renewable electricity and buying carbon offsets for unavoidable emissions to achieve carbon neutrality for scope 1 and 2 emissions.
Implementing more than 15,000 energy efficiency projects and integrating LEED certification into the project and property management process. By the end of 2019, 25% and 19 million square feet of Bank of America’s facility portfolio was LEED certified.
Installing solar panels at financial centers, ATMs, office locations, and other operational buildings through the Onsite Solar Initiative, expected to generate more than 25 megawatts of renewable electricity.

Kimberly-Clark

Kimberly-Clark and its trusted brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries, and a quarter of the world’s population uses one of its essential products every day. The company is headquartered in Dallas, TX with approximately 46,000 employees worldwide and operations in 34 countries. Sustainability is at the center of the company, and by 2030, Kimberly-Clark aspires to advance the well-being of 1 billion people through social programs and reduce its environmental footprint by half. The company focuses on the areas where it can make the biggest difference – climate, forests, water and plastics. Kimberly-Clark’s portfolio of brands, including Huggies, Kleenex, Scott, Kotex, Cottonelle, Poise, Depend, Andrex, Pull-Ups, GoodNites, Neve, Plenitud, Viva, Softex, Sweety and WypAll, hold the No. 1 or No. 2 share position in 80 countries. The company will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2022.

Kimberly-Clark is being recognized for Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management (Goal Achievement Award) for the following:

Reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 34.6% globally from 2005 to 2019. With the start of a new Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA) in December 2020, Kimberly-Clark is projected to achieve and exceed their 2022 target (40% from 2005) one year early.
Generating approximately 670,000 MWh of renewable energy annually from the new VPPA with a wind farm in Texas. Kimberly-Clark also generates approximately 6,100 MWh of on-site renewable electricity annually.
Using natural gas as the primary fuel for steam boilers and combined heat and power plants. Recent switches from coal to natural gas in two high-emitting manufacturing sites are reducing GHG emissions by 167,000 MTCO2 per year which is equivalent to a 4% reduction of the company’s total GHG emissions.
Implementing 320 energy conservation projects at global manufacturing sites between 2018 and 2019 to reduce 120,000 MTCO2e of emissions.

Pitney Bowes

Pitney Bowes Inc. is a global shipping and mailing company that provides technology, logistics, and financial services to more than 90 percent of the Fortune 500. Small business, retail, enterprise, and government clients around the world rely on Pitney Bowes to remove the complexity of sending mail and parcels. Pitney Bowes reports an annual revenue of $3.6 billion. Pitney Bowes is being recognized for Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management (Goal Achievement Award) for the following:

Reducing global Scope 1 and 2 emissions nearly 13% from 2015 to 2020, exceeding their goal of 8%.
Developing and implementing sustainability initiatives in transportation and logistics, including by phasing in fuel-efficient vehicles for the North America Service Fleet, installing EV charging stations at Pitney Bowes’s largest office building, and making hardware and software improvements for commercial vehicles to reduce emissions.
Reducing electricity consumption through site consolidations, efficiency upgrades, energy audits, and employee trainings. Since 2007, electricity consumption has decreased by approximately 35 million kilowatt hours, saving $5.03 million and reducing 16,810 metric tons of carbon dioxide.
Implementing “Green Energy” in place of fossil fuel based energy at operating facilities when possible. Since 2009, Pitney Bowes has also purchased renewable energy credits to support 193,754,000 kWh of green power projects.
Implementing programs to reduce waste and promote remanufacturing and recycling. The company avoided 3,636 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent through their waste reduction campaign in 2019 alone, and in the past 8 years has kept 3.6 million pounds of products out of the waste stream through remanufacturing.

Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo & Company is a diversified, community-based financial services company providing banking, investment and mortgage products and services, as well as consumer and commercial finance in 31 countries, and serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo generates $85 billion in annual revenue and employs 266,000 team members. Wells Fargo is being recognized for Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management (Goal Achievement Award) for the following:

Reducing scope 1, 2, and scope 3 (business travel) emissions by 52% from 2008 to 2020, exceeding their goal of 45%.
Implementing space optimization (site consolidation/closure) to reduce GHG emissions by 31,365 metric tons CO2e and reduce operating costs by approximately $5,931,797 annually.
Improving energy efficiency in buildings to reduce energy consumption, saving approximately $3,909,978 of annual operating cost and 19,831 metric tons CO2e of emissions.
Engaging employees with GHG reduction goals through in-house trainings on climate change and Green Teams that develop business plans for local and business environmental initiatives in line with company-wide goals.

Goal Setting

BMO Harris Bank

Established in 1817, BMO Financial Group (BMO) is a highly diversified financial services provider based in North America. BMO provides a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management, global markets and investment banking products and services to eight million customers across Canada, through BMO (Bank of Montreal), and two million customers in the United States, through BMO Harris Bank. BMO Harris Bank is being recognized for Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management (Goal Setting Certificate) for the following:

Setting a goal to reduce 15% of scope 1, 2, and 3 (waste and business travel) emissions from 2016 to 2021. In 2019, BMO had reduced absolute emissions by 8.7% relative to the 2016 baseline, demonstrating good progress toward achieving the 2021 target.
Since 2008, BMO set and achieved three successive multi-year emission reduction targets related to Scope 1, Scope 2 and two categories in Scope 3 (Category 5 – Waste generated in operations and Category 6 – Business travel).
Reducing emissions at facilities through efficiency upgrades to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems and controls, and promoting energy efficiency as the “first fuel”.
Investing approximately $2.9 million this year in projects related to emission reduction initiatives and employee awareness programs.
Committing to double the bank’s mobilization for sustainable finance to $400 billion by 2025, including providing $150 billion in capital to companies pursuing sustainable outcomes.

CSX Corporation

CSX Corporation is a vital transportation link in the North American supply chain. The company provides rail-based services that include traditional rail transportation, rail-to-truck transloading, and intermodal container and trailer shipping. CSX is being recognized for Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management (Goal Setting Certificate) for:

Committing to a 37.3% reduction of Scope 1 and 2 emissions intensity from 2014 to 2029, which equates to an absolute emissions reduction of 2.5% annually. The goal aligns with the Paris Agreement and was validated by the Science Based Target Initiative (SBTi) in 2020. Emissions intensity is measured using units of metric tons of CO2 equivalents per million gross ton-miles (the movement of one ton of freight over one mile).
Prioritizing the fuel efficiencies, technologies, and operating principles that promote efficient freight transportation. CSX is currently the most fuel-efficient U.S. railroad of its type and continues to pursue opportunities for improvement.
Continuous monitoring of fuel conservation performance and employee training to support real time train crew responses to alerts.

ICF

ICF is a global advisory and digital services company, combining industry expertise and engagement capabilities to help public and private sector clients to solve complex challenges. ICF employs 7,000 full- and part- time employees and reports an annual revenue of $1.38 billion. ICF is being recognized for Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management (Goal Setting Certificate) for the following:

Setting two targets in line with the Science-Based Target Initiative: 1) an absolute reduction target of 17.5% of Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2025 from a 2018 baseline, and 2) an intensity reduction of 26% of Scope 3 (employee commuting, business travel, and purchased goods and services) emissions per benefits-eligible employee by 2025 from a 2018 baseline.
ICF substantially exceeded their previous target of reducing scope 1, 2, and 3 (upstream) emissions intensity 10% by 2018 compared to 2013 baseline. The company reduced emissions intensity by 30.7% in this time period.
Leasing office space based on sustainability criteria (ex. ENERGY STAR and LEED certified buildings).
Purchasing greener electronics and energy efficient IT equipment. 2018 purchases of EPEAT Gold certified computers resulted in GHG reduction equivalent to removing 60 passenger cars from the road per year.
Purchasing renewable energy certificates to offset 100% of electricity use in all global offices. ICF also purchases high-quality carbon offsets for the remainder of operational emissions and has achieved carbon neutrality every year since 2006.

NRG Energy

NRG is a leading integrated power and home services company that generates electricity and provides energy solutions and natural gas to millions of customers through their diverse portfolio of retail brands. A Fortune 500 company operating in the United States and Canada, NRG delivers innovative solutions while advocating for competitive energy markets and customer choice, working towards a sustainable energy future. NRG is being recognized for Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management (Goal Setting Certificate) for the following

Setting a goal of reducing 50% of scope 1, 2, and 3 (business travel) emissions from 2014 to 2025 and reaching net zero by 2050;
decarbonizing existing business lines, including through optimization of the existing generation fleet while working to develop and deploy more renewable and efficient energy technologies;
divesting from and/or retiring assets involved in high greenhouse gas activities; and
transitioning from a wholesale power generator to an integrated full-service energy retailer, which includes partnering with developers to bring new renewables to the grid through power purchase agreements.

Innovative Partnership Certificate

Chicago Regional Climate Action Planning Partnership

The Greenest Region Compact (GRC) designed by the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus is a partnership between municipalities and the Mayors Caucus to encourage local sustainability. By adopting GRC through a municipal resolution, local governments express their commitment to achieving GRC sustainability goals in their community and in collaboration with other municipalities in the Chicago region. In 2019 the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus was selected to join the EU-led Regional and Metro Scale Climate Leaders project to pioneer regional climate planning in the United States. As part of this initiative, the Mayors Caucus signed a formal pledge to join the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM) agreeing to comply with climate action planning and reporting requirements within established timeframes, which is now the foundation of the 2021 Climate Action Plan for the Chicago Region. The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus and its partners – National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Program Office and U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit, the European Union, GCoM, University of Illinois, Argonne National Laboratory and Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) are being recognized for an Innovative Partnership Certificate for the following:

Collaborating as the Chicago Regional Climate Action Planning Partnership to address the lack of guidance for small cities and villages by approaching climate action planning at the regional scale. The Mayors Caucus has engaged GRC communities to participate in the development of the 2021 Climate Action Plan for the Chicago Region, and established the Chicago Regional Climate Action Planning Partnership to pool needed technical resources and assistance.
Engaging 270 stakeholders, such as mayors, village trustees, municipal staff, and citizen commissioners/advisory groups in the regional climate planning process. The partnership also engages with non-profit and industry stakeholders.
Creating the first climate action plan (CAP) for the Chicago region and only the third regional CAP in the US. The plan is centered in equity and addresses both climate mitigation and adaptation. Goals, targets, and objectives are set at the regional scale while all strategies are tailored to empower local municipalities to take meaningful, immediate climate action. The plan integrates the international GCoM framework, the foundational GRC Framework, and is informed by 22 municipal and regional climate action plans from around the world
Working with municipal and industry stakeholders to develop a set of actions (the EV Readiness Checklist) municipalities should take to prepare for the transportation electrification goal that is included in the regional Climate Action Plan.
Sharing knowledge about regional climate planning and action with other regions around the world.
Working with municipal and industry stakeholders to develop a set of actions (the EV Readiness Checklist) municipalities should take to prepare for the transportation electrification goal that will be included in the regional Climate Action Plan.
Sharing knowledge about regional climate planning and action with other regions around the world.

Los Angeles 100% Renewable Energy Study (LA100)

In 2016, the Los Angeles City Council directed the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) to develop a research partnership to determine the investments needed for the city to achieve a 100% renewable energy portfolio. LADWP partnered with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to perform the Los Angeles 100% Renewable Energy Study (LA100). LADWP also formed an advisory group of representatives from over 50 organizations to represent the city’s diverse communities, and provide input on the study. The total budget for LA100 is $15 million, and the study will be completed in 2021. The LADWP and NREL are being recognized for an Innovative Partnership Certificate for the following:

Performing the LA100 renewable energy study. NREL is performing the study for LADWP, based on LADWP system data and expertise, and informed by input from advisory group members. NREL also leads meetings of the advisory group, where they give presentations and lead discussions on possible 100% renewable energy futures. The partnership is committed to community participation throughout the study, and is currently planning additional community-outreach initiatives to further educate residents on the study’s outcomes and actionable steps toward a renewable-energy future. LADWP is also working with local academic institutions to examine potential for high-quality careers and local hiring programs as the city modernizes its electric-system infrastructure.

MCE

MCE is a Community Choice Aggregator, with a mission to address climate change by reducing energy-related greenhouse gas emissions with renewable energy and energy efficiency at cost-competitive rates while offering economic and workforce benefits, and creating more equitable communities. MCE’s local partnerships stretch beyond their 37 member communities and includes various workforce development agencies, renewable energy developers, community-based organizations, nonprofits, and local business chambers. MCE is being recognized for an Innovative Partnership Certificate for the following:

Helping build 49 megawatts of new renewable energy in their service area through programs like the Feed-in Tariff which offers family-sustaining jobs through prevailing wage and local hire requirements.
Working closely with community partners and workforce development agencies to build a clean energy economy.
Offering electric vehicle charging rebates and technical assistance for workplaces and multifamily properties to support the installation of more than 800 public Level 2 charging ports, with 500+ planned or under construction. MCE also offers electric vehicle rebates for income-qualified customers.
Developing the model for community choice agencies (CCA) in California. Since the start of this community partnership, 22 new CCAs have opened their doors across California advocating for clean energy, green jobs, and local control.
Executing a number of long-term renewable power purchase agreements with new California-based generating facilities, with a long-term objective of 85% renewable by 2029.
Continuing to work with member communities to advance equity/environmental justice through tailored programs and services, including a $7 million resiliency fund to help communities impacted by grid outages, distribution of portable batteries at no cost to medically vulnerable customers, and offering health and safety upgrades to underserved communities.

Teaching Climate Change in California

California Department of Water Resources

This partnership between the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) and the Water Education Foundation (WEF) emerges from the recognition that solving the climate crisis is fundamentally an intergenerational endeavor, along with the need to improve the scientific literacy of the general public and especially the next generation that will inherit the climate crisis. Each year, DWR and WEF present four workshops as part of the Project “Water Education for Teachers”, aimed at K-12 educators and other outreach professionals, and located at geographically and demographically diverse locations across the state. The DWR and WEF are being recognized for an Innovative Partnership Certificate for the following:

Empowering teachers to integrate climate change science concepts and climate change mitigation and adaptation actions into the classroom. Workshops are designed to complement and supplement curriculum that promotes awareness of California’s water resources with the observed and projected impacts of climate change. Locations are rotated on an annual basis to represent geographically and demographically diverse regions, explicitly including tribal locations, and workshops are designed using regional data to be relevant to local educators.
Since 2014, 523 educators have attended “Understanding Climate Change in California”, reaching approximately 125,000 students.

U.S. Climate Alliance

More than four years ago, governors from three U.S. states launched the U.S. Climate Alliance, committing to achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement in response to the previous federal administration’s decision to withdraw the U.S. from this international accord. Since then, the Alliance, has rapidly grown to include a sizeable – and bipartisan – group of 25 governors from states across the country representing: 61% of the U.S. economy; 57% of the U.S. population; and 43% of U.S. emissions.

The U.S. Climate Alliance is being recognized for an Innovative Partnership Certificate for the following:

Convening state governors to commit to supporting the Paris Agreement and pursue aggressive climate action to make progress toward its goals. Alliance members have adopted increasingly ambitious GHG reduction targets and have employed innovative climate policy across sectors through executive, regulatory, and legislative actions.
Being a strong and united voice for Governors to champion climate solutions at the state and multi-state level. This includes demonstrating that coordinated climate leadership and economic growth go hand-in-hand, communicating climate leadership and best practices, pushing back against past federal policies that undercut climate progress, forging a new state-federal climate partnership, and building capacity in other nations.
Governors in the Alliance commit to: 1) Collectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 26-28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025 and at least 50-52% below 2005 levels by 2030, and collectively achieve overall net-zero GHG emissions as soon as practicable and no later than 2050; 2) Accelerate new and existing policies to reduce GHG pollution, building resilience to the impacts of climate change, and promoting clean energy deployment at the state and federal level; 3) Center equity, environmental justice, and a just economic transition in their efforts to achieve their climate goals and create high-quality jobs; and 4) Track and report progress to the global community in appropriate settings, including when the world convenes to take stock of the Paris Agreement.
The Secretariat of the Alliance supports member governors and their states by staffing sectoral working groups, facilitating dialogue and cooperation among Alliance states on priority climate issues, sharing information and best practices, and communicating the climate leadership shown by Alliance states to external stakeholders and the public.
In 2020 published recommendations to Congress and the federal government for national climate action, based on the Alliance’s multi-year track record of successfully driving economic growth while enacting climate policy and cutting emissions.

Volvo LIGHTS Project

The Volvo LIGHTS (Low Impact Green Heavy Transport) project is a unique collaboration between 14 public and private organizations to pioneer a range of vehicle, charging and workforce development innovations critical for the commercial success of heavy-duty battery-electric trucks and equipment. Heavy-duty diesel trucks are currently key to the goods movement sector, which brings hundreds of thousands of jobs to Southern California and has driven major economic development, but are also one of North America’s largest and most rapidly growing sources of climate-altering greenhouse gas emissions. Volvo LIGHTS partners are working to build a path to sustainable freight transportation in Southern California and beyond. Volvo LIGHTS is being recognized for an Innovative Partnership Certificate for the following:

Designing a comprehensive ecosystem approach to help ensure the wide scale success of medium- and heavy-duty (MDHD) electrification, including cost-effective and reliable charging infrastructure, comprehensive maintenance and repair services, driver training, and more.
Expanding charging options for MDHD electric trucks. Volvo LIGHTS partners helped to facilitate the modification of California utility rules to allow the private resale of electricity as motor fuel for MDHD vehicles, which was previously only allowed for light-duty vehicle charging stations. Another partner works on charging connectors and secured a safety certification that will streamline the process for fleet operators purchasing fast-charging systems and expand the options of approved charging options for EV infrastructure programs.
Facilitating battery-electric truck demonstrations with a wide range of Southern California fleet operators through a fleet-leasing program to offer real-world trials of Volvo’s new technology. Volvo’s largest West Coast dealership will continue to provide local support, including managing all necessary maintenance and repair services.
Introducing workforce development programs, such as technician training programs, that are critical to sustain and support electric vehicles.
Conducting community outreach to help local residents and business leaders understand the economic and environmental opportunities presented through the introduction of electric trucks and equipment (e.g., reduced air pollution and noise, improved working conditions, and job training).
Creating a blueprint for other cities to follow to aid the introduction of zero-emission, battery-electric trucks.

Supply Chain Leadership Award

Mastercard

Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Mastercard has connections in more than 210 countries and territories, and their innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses realize their greatest potential. Mastercard is being recognized for the Supply Chain Leadership Award for the following achievements:

Having a science-based emissions reduction target that is aligned with the 1.5°C scenario and includes a 20% reduction of Scope 3 emissions by 2025 from a 2016 base year. Currently, Scope 3 emissions have been reduced by 40% from the base year.
Working with suppliers on their own climate initiatives. In total, the supply chain contributes more than 70 percent of Mastercard’s total carbon footprint.
Establishing a supplier engagement goal to engage with 75 percent of suppliers who contribute to Mastercard’s GHG emissions, mainly by encouraging them to report their emissions to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), earning Mastercard an “A” rating for Supplier Engagement from CDP.
Assisting suppliers with greenhouse gas tracking, calculation, and disclosure, and helping them become more environmentally sustainable.
Undertaking collaborative emissions reduction projects with suppliers who make large contributions to Mastercard’s supply chain emissions.
Establishing the Greener Payments Partnership with key partners in the card manufacturing industry to reduce the use of new PVC used in all plastic payment cards. This partnership is part of a long-term effort to identify alternative, sustainable materials in everyday products.