Man-made climate change and its consequences are the biggest transformation issues for our society in the coming decades. Some of the changes are already being felt directly, such as heat waves and flood disasters, while others will only become increasingly apparent in our everyday lives in the coming years. What is certain is that climate change will have an impact on all areas of society and that strategic decisions for the future will have to respond to it.
The Schöpflin Foundation, as a CO2 emitter, also sees itself as having a responsibility to deal carefully with its own contribution to climate change. We are at the beginning of a process that requires constant further development and adaptation.
We currently operate on the basis of the "analyze emissions, reduce emissions, compensate emissions" model. At present, we are deliberately not aiming for certification as a climate-neutral foundation, as the market of certificate providers is largely dubious. With a view to implementing this model, we are planning the following measures by the end of 2023:
In 2019, we had our corporate carbon footprint calculated for the first time by KlimAktiv gGmbH. Using the same industry calculator, the Foundation is currently analyzing its footprint again for 2022.
With the support of an expert, the foundation is currently analyzing where reductions can be achieved most sensibly and permanently. Based on the findings to date, these are the areas of employee travel (especially by car), business air travel, and construction.
In October 2022, the Schöpflin Foundation compensated its emissions for the first time by a payment to the Klimafonds Lörrach e.V. To compensate for 140 tons of CO2 (basis: calculated emissions from 2020 plus 20 % surcharge for growth of the foundation) 100,- € / ton were applied and accordingly compensated in the amount of 14.000,00 Euro.
The Klimafonds Lörrach e.V. has emerged from an initiative of the "Round Table Climate Lörrach". The association wants to contribute to achieving the goal of the Paris Climate Agreement and promotes regional climate protection activities and projects.
For the Foundation's grantmaking, "ecological sustainability" is a cross-cutting issue that is considered strategically and programmatically in all four program areas. In the coming years, we will increasingly look at grantmaking activities through the "climate lens". In this way, we want to make an active contribution to driving the issue forward more strongly in the sector.
Specifically, we have started with the following measures in three areas:
We are announcing a Capacity Building "Climate" budget (25,000 € in 2023 in the "Schöpflin Biotope"), to which all current grantees of the Schöpflin Foundation can apply. With the Capacity Building "Climate" we support projects that help to anchor the topic of "ecological sustainability" in the organization - this includes e.g. project ideas, training measures or infrastructure development.
We create a mapping of consultants who support non-profit organizations with their know-how on the topic of "ecological sustainability". In addition, we network with experts in the field and with other foundations that also work on this topic.
