COP26: Why it matters for business

As the UK prepares to host the climate summit in November, we discuss what it is and why the event is significant for businesses.

What is COP26?

COP26 is the climate change conference taking place at the Scottish Events Campus (SEC) in Glasgow from the 1-12 November 2021. Around 30,000 delegates representing more than 200 nations, businesses and NGOs are expected to arrive in the city over the course of the conference.

The conference of parties was established by the United Nations, and more than 200 countries gather to discuss and agree measures to combat the climate crisis.

Charlotte Briggs, Engagement and Policy Lead, said the targets around COP26 highlight the ever-increasing importance of data and reporting: “This increasing demand for data is already being felt by the waste and resources sector in the UK, with a need for supply chain transparency and the upcoming legislation changes, including Plastic Packaging Tax, Extended Producer Responsibility and Deposit Return Systems.”

“These reporting requirements may initially be seen as a burden for many companies. But with the European Commission’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) proposal looking to triple the number of companies in the EU required to report on sustainability data, the reporting requirements for the waste and resources sector may put them ahead of the curve in working with suppliers to improve sustainability and transparency across the value chain.”