5 ways to unlock corporate finance for climate action

The guide argues that corporate climate action is a business imperative and that companies must move beyond piecemeal approaches to finance. It outlines a five-step blueprint—developed by Salesforce and the Climate Policy Initiative—to help firms understand their goals, engage stakeholders, explore financial tools, build integrated strategies, and prepare for high-profile climate events. The text emphasizes that blending various capital types, such as philanthropy and venture capital, can maximize climate impact and de-risk investments.

• While one third of the world's largest companies have set net zero commitments, only 7% are currently on track to achieve them.
• Effective corporate climate finance requires a holistic approach that matches the specific form of capital to the intended objective, rather than using tools like philanthropy, venture capital, and sustainability bonds in isolation.
• The guide proposes a five-step process for activating corporate capital: clarifying goals and tradeoffs, engaging stakeholders (including legal and procurement), exploring finance options based on company needs, building an integrated strategy, and preparing for major climate events.
• Philanthropy can serve as a catalytic tool to de-risk early-stage ideas and attract other forms of investment due to its patient and risk-tolerant nature.

APA

Morenzoni, N. (2023). 5 ways to unlock corporate finance for climate action. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/5-tips-to-unlock-corporate-finance-for-climate-action/

Chicago

Morenzoni, Naomi. 5 ways to unlock corporate finance for climate action. World Economic Forum, 2023. https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/5-tips-to-unlock-corporate-finance-for-climate-action/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Morenzoni |first1=Naomi |title=5 ways to unlock corporate finance for climate action |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=8 November 2023 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/5-tips-to-unlock-corporate-finance-for-climate-action/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{morenzoni2023ways, author = {Morenzoni, Naomi}, title = {{5 ways to unlock corporate finance for climate action}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2023}, month = nov, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/nature-and-biodiversity/5-tips-to-unlock-corporate-finance-for-climate-action/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }