Calling for a responsible and sustainable recovery the UK Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Ed Miliband MP took part in an ACCA webinar event for the UK Labour Party Conference, titled ‘Greening up: better work in a just transition.’

Chaired by ACCA’s head of sustainability Jimmy Greer, speakers also included Yen-pei Chen, senior subject matter manager, ACCA; Catherine Howarth, chief executive, ShareAction and Miriam Brett, director of advocacy and research, Common Wealth.

At the session, Yen-pei Chen called on policy makers to commit to:

• phasing out fossil fuel subsidies in consultation with businesses and consumers
• reducing labour taxes and increase social protection
• and supporting circular and inclusive business models

Ed Miliband spoke about the need to ensure green jobs are produced in a way that is fair – ensuring they are inclusive, so no communities are left out and that they pay a decent wage to the workers in those jobs. He said: ‘We have to pay great attention to make sure jobs are green and just. We need to build a better future for our communities and at the core of this, is a green recovery, tackling the climate and economic crises we face.’

Yen-pei said: ‘There’s an urgent and present need for systemic change, especially as the pandemic has accelerated many problems such as social and income inequalities between people in different jobs and living in different regions.

‘In the midst of the pandemic, the climate crisis is not going away. Even as the planes were grounded and we marvelled at the clearer skies, the Arctic Circle registered its hottest temperature on record, at 38 degrees in June. The tax system should play a part in our green recovery. Today, labour taxes are high and tax on pollution is low. By redressing this balance, the government can get more people into stable jobs, while meeting our climate commitments’

Catherine Howarth said: ‘An ambitious national push for jobs-rich green recovery is of paramount importance, and this conversation at the Labour Party Conference organised by ACCA was very timely. It is clear that co-ordinated and collaborative action from government, long-term investors, companies and unions is needed. Today’s event highlighted that need.’

Miriam Brett added: ‘While Covid-19 remains the immediate focus, climate breakdown and biodiversity loss are the biggest threats facing our future. Inherently linked to inequality, the causes and impacts of the climate crisis are unevenly distributed.’

ACCA believes that now is the time for policy-makers to design social and environmental policies that can be seen as a coherent whole as government policies are absolutely crucial in accelerating this shift in business decision-making that’s already taking place.

Yen-pei Chen also spoke about the circular economy which is about designing waste and pollution out of business models, and making sure that materials can be reused again and again, concluding: ‘Circular models are important to green recovery because they are labour intensive thus filing the jobs gap – they’re local and they’re open to small businesses. Circular businesses need government policies to change in order to survive.’

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