Private companies, CSOs to collaborate on climate challenges

Private companies should collaborate with non-governmental organisations working with local communities to address climate change challenges, the Corporate Social Responsibility Coordinator at Fidelity Bank, Marjorie Quansah, has said. 

Making a case for collaboration at a panel discussion in Accra recently, she said tackling climate change effectively required innovative approaches which must take into consideration private partnerships to foster a collective effort towards sustainability and environmental stewardship.

The panel discussion formed part of a conference on education for sustainability development.

Organised by the Centre for Sustainable Development (CeST) an NGO providing environmental education, sustainable development knowledge and solutions, it provided a platform for stakeholders to deliberate on pertinent issues on climate change and the gains made by schools implementing Eco-schools, one of the largest global sustainable schools programme addressing education for sustainable development.

It was on the theme, “Celebrating 10 years of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in Ghana: Where do we go from here?”.

The panel discussion was on the sub-theme, “Funding Environmental Sustainability Development”. 

Gains  

She explained that as a bank, the management of Fidelity believed that they had a role to play in environmental sustainability but upon realising that NGOs could deliver solutions, they partnered with CeST to deliver impactful solutions to the communities the banks operated in.

The partnership, she said, played a crucial role in providing staff with valuable insights into sustainable development practices.

"Banks and businesses should not only provide funding but also involve their staff and encourage dialogue among various stakeholders,” she said.

This approach, she explained, would foster a collective effort toward sustainability and environmental stewardship while charting a path forward for impactful environmental initiatives that could make a real difference in communities across the country.

Interest

An environmental advocate, Dr Michael Dade, said funding was never sufficient for many NGOs working to tackle climate change.

He suggested that institutions and private organisations seeking to work in these areas should look at areas of mutual interest.

“We could look at our strategic plan and identify mutual areas and we could have joint funding,” he said citing a collaboration with the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to build a six-seater plastic toilet facility in the Ashanti Region using plastics. 

Government

A Director of Policy at the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), John Defor, stressed the need for the government to appreciate citizens working to mitigate climate change.

He further called for more education to help the public understand the importance of protecting the environment to ensure food security.

“At the Volta River Authority (VRA) we try to plant trees to ensure that we preserve the local climate but there are people who cut down the trees for firewood and some of those trees withered,” he added.