What COVID-19 teaches us about climate action – Part 3: Companies

There are few things scarier than COVID-19 right now. With the potential to bring about human extinction, climate change is definitely a contender. Can we draw from this pandemic to strengthen our battle against climate change? 

This is the third article in a three-part series that discusses what COVID-19 teaches us about tackling climate change, and how to use these lessons to improve our impact on the earth.

Lesson #4: Companies help their community in times of crisis.

Companies are often criticised for being profit-churning machines that do not care enough for the community and stakeholders. With the current crisis, we are seeing a beautiful reorientation towards more human-friendly initiatives. Companies from across a broad span of sectors are coming up with creative ways to uplift their communities during this pandemic

Slightly Robot's Immutouch app discourages people from touching their faces. Photo credit: Immutouch Images

To help people find entertainment while staying home, Malaysian telco and broadcast companies such as Unifi, Celcom, Maxis, U Mobile, Digi and Astro are offering free or extra data, hotspot passes, access to all channels and more to their subscribers. To help struggling small businesses, UberEats and DoorDash are waiving commission fees for independent restaurant partners while Amazon set up a five million relief fund to provide cash grants to small businesses in Seattle. Slightly Robot is selling their repurposed Immutouch app and device, which were targeted at people suffering from compulsive hair-pulling, skin picking and fingernail biting, at cost price to help us stop touching our faces. These are only a few of the many heartwarming instances where companies are stepping up to help the fight against COVID-19. 

Takeaway: Companies must see climate change as a crisis.

COVID-19 has ransacked the world, with a massive death toll and economic freefall. Recalling the many extinct species, numerous fires and heatwaves and dramatic levels of pollution, one can argue that climate change has equally disastrous effects. Without climate change, there could be a quarter-million less deaths a year. Perhaps the “slower-moving” nature of climate change has led to a low level of urgency in saving the planet. Many companies are less ardent about tackling it as they are with COVID-19. Climate degradation is a crisis! It is important that companies see climate change as a crisis and connect their activities to the earth’s suffering.

One way to appreciate climate change as a crisis is to be more aware of our relationship with the earth.  Can it not be a more mutually satisfying and beneficial relationship? One which is less exploitative and more nurturing? The choice is ours to make. The Earth supports us and our companies in so many ways.  Let us take steps to support the Earth in return. A healthy environment is essential in maintaining business operations, and healthy work forces. It is important for companies to recognise the valuable and interdependent relationship they have with the earth, and nurture and respect this relationship.

If a heat wave affected a third of America, it would cause the country half a billion dollars. (Business Insider) Photo credit: Spencer Platt / Getty Images

To connect their activities to the earth’s suffering, the company must closely monitor their environmental impact. Companies can set up departments and task forces dealing specifically with this issue. Alternatively, they may engage external organisations to quantify their energy usage and carbon emissions level. It is important to identify the activities which have the most impact on the earth to make effective changes that alleviate the earth’s suffering. For example, mobile technology company Grab has been investing in electric cars and has rolled out fleets of electric cars in Singapore and Indonesia to reduce carbon monoxide emissions generated by its car-hire services. Regularly undertaking environmental audits is also a good way for companies to pinpoint areas for improvement.

Earlier this year, Grab introduced an electric fleet at Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta Airport. Photo credit: Jakarta Globe / Herman

Through this three-part series, we have discussed the lessons learnt from COVID-19 that can enrich our quest to save the earth. From individuals to governments to companies, we must unite and commit to practicing compassion for the earth. As this pandemic has shown us, saving the planet is possible. Just look at the reduction in emissions across the globe. Are we able to commute less and prolong a reduction in oil demands and carbon emissions? Can companies experiment with remote working arrangements to facilitate this? Could governments invest in telecommunications infrastructure to encourage such arrangements? When COVID-19 has run its course, may we reflect on what we learnt and continue our fight against climate change with renewed vigour.