Are You Climate Resilient. Climate resilience is when organizations actively address climate change as part of their business strategy, providing both social and business benefits. 
Ninety percent of S and P Global one hundred Index companies see climate change as a business risk. [1] The business case for climate resilience. One hundred and thirty billion dollar global losses from eight hundred weather related disasters in twenty twelve. One billion pounds, the UK economy’s daily losses during the extreme winter of twenty twelve. One hundred and thirty five million pound net business benefit of Marks and Spencer’s Plan A in twenty thirteen. Zero. Marks and Spencer’s net carbon emissions in twenty thirteen. [2] [3] [4]
ADAPT to climate change. The Partnership for Resilience and Environmental Preparedness PREP, including Oxfam, Starbucks, Levi Strauss and Swiss Re, created the ADAPT model, which provides a framework to [5] make organizations more climate resilient, meet social responsibilities, strengthen community links, identify business opportunities. Here’s how ADAPT can work for you. One. Analyze the issues. To begin, you need to know where you currently stand, and what your organization’s strengths and weaknesses are. How climate resilient is the business now. What climate impacts have occurred in the past. Which business areas are vulnerable to climate change. What tools and resources are available to help you address climate change. Who are your stakeholders and what do they expect. [6] Two. Develop an internal strategy. Make the business case for taking action, define a mandate, recruit help and start planning. Establish, which departments are most affected by climate change. Who has the relevant knowledge, experience and capacity to work with you. Who would be good climate resilience leaders. How you will liaise with external stakeholders. Three. Assess risks and opportunities. Look at specific vulnerabilities and identify potential benefits. Which suppliers are particularly vulnerable to extreme weather events. What would be the impact of potential disruptions. What are the specific risks. How can you mitigate them. Which arethe most urgent. Are there new market opportunities arising from climate challenges. How can you collaborate with governments and community groups. Four. Prioritize actions Define high level goals and departmental objectives, and identify research, technical and policy actions. Consider, how resilience expenditure compares with avoided costs and revenue losses. Any no regrets actions with guaranteed benefits regardless of climate impacts. Win win actions for you and local communities. How you can take advantage of market opportunities how you can align with government policies any public sector finances available to help you Five. Tackle actions and evaluate progress. Now it’s time to turn your climate resilience plans into action. Identify opportunities in planning cycles to introduce change. Adjust business goals and KPIs. Assign responsibilities and create support networks. Establish mechanisms for monitoring, measurement and communication of climate resilience activities. Create activity and contingency budgets, and apply for funding. Communicate with stakeholders and get sign off for resilience plans. Quote, The longer we wait to address the growing risks of climate change, the more it will cost us all. [7] Tom Steyer, environmentalist and philanthropist

[1] Erica Gies, ‘The Business Cost of Climate Change What the Science Says’. Available at http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2014/jul/14/business-cost-risks-climate-change-science (14 July 2014).
[2] Ibid
[3] ‘Your M and S Plan A Report twenty thirteen’. Available at http://corporate.marksandspencer.com/documents/policy-documents/plan-a-report-2013.pdf (accessed 27 August 2015).
[4] Jonathan Brown, ‘Economy Feels Chill as UK Grinds to a Halt’. Available at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/economy-feels-chill-as-uk-grinds-to-a-halt-2164827.html (20 December 2010). 
[5] ‘PREP Value Chain Climate Resilience A Guide to Managing Climate Impacts in Companies and Communities’. Available at http://www.oxfamamerica.org/explore/research-publications/prep-value-chain-climate-resilience/ (6 July 2012).
[6] External stakeholders will always include government bodies and local communities.
[7] ‘PREP Value Chain Climate Resilience A Guide to Managing Climate Impacts in Companies and Communities’. Available at http://www.oxfamamerica.org/explore/research-publications/prep-value-chain-climate-resilience/ (6 July 2012).

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