.png)
BCA Members - Climate-aligned advocacy
At WorkforClimate, we support employees to advocate for faster, stronger climate action from inside their organisations.
In Australia, one of our priorities is to mobilise the business community to use its powerful voice to champion strong policy ambition. We are partnering with employees from the country’s largest businesses to help us raise awareness about the importance of climate-aligned advocacy inside their organisations, and activate internal stakeholders.
Why this matters
Many companies have made bold climate commitments — and many are making real progress. But voluntary action alone isn’t enough. Only strong, aligned policy and regulation can deliver emissions cut at the speed and scale the crisis demands.
Right now, most businesses have a blind spot: their approach to climate policy. There’s a widening gap between what companies say they want on climate, and what they do through their lobbying and advocacy — directly or through trade associations.
As Alberto Alemanno, founder of The Good Lobby, puts it: “The misalignment between what companies say and lobby for is possibly the major factor preventing advances on major societal issues.”
To be credible on climate, companies must close this gap between ambition and advocacy. That means making sure their public policy positions — and the associations they belong to — actually support climate progress. As the UN’s Integrity Matters report puts it simply: companies should be “lobbying for positive climate action, not against it.”
Support this campaign
About the Business Council of Australia
The Business Council of Australia (BCA) is one of the country’s most influential business groups, representing more than 130 of Australia’s biggest companies. On paper, it supports climate action — but in practice, its lobbying record tells a very different story.
For years, the BCA has used its influence to slow down climate progress, backing fossil gas and pushing against stronger government action. Most recently, it lobbied in support of Woodside’s proposed 50-year extension of the North West Shelf gas project — one of Australia’s biggest sources of emissions. It also pressured the government behind closed doors, using flawed modelling to argue for weaker national emissions targets.
Many of the BCA’s own members — including Telstra, Bupa, Commonwealth Bank, Coles, Woolworths, and Lendlease — have strong public climate commitments. Yet their membership in the BCA undermines those commitments.
In March 2025, the non-profit Climate Integrity called out this contradiction, sending letters to 20 member companies urging them to rethink their ties to the BCA. Greenpeace has also taken aim, rating these companies on their links to the BCA in its Climate Credibility Scorecard.
So what can employees do to make a difference?
We are looking to partner with employees who want their organisations to lead with integrity on climate. Employees can make a big difference by raising awareness amongst senior management and staff, sparking conversations and building support internally on this issue.
We will support you every step of the way with trusted research, tailored guidance and safe, effective strategies for internal advocacy.
Here are some of the ways you can get involved:
- Share feedback: Tell us what you’re seeing and hearing inside the company.
- Join a webinar: Learn more about climate advocacy and lobbying and connect with campaigners
- Connect with employees: Meet with other employees from BCA member companies who care about the same issue
- Book a 1:1 chat: Speak confidentially with our team about how you can make an impact
We’re not asking you to share confidential information. You can opt out at any time, and we will only use your contact details with your consent.
Support this campaign
