WEBINAR RECAP: Supporting Your Members to Take Meaningful Climate Action

Webinar Recap: CAFA x SBTi | 21 May 2025

On May 21st, 2025, Climate Action for Associations (CAFA) and the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) co-hosted the second webinar of a series exploring the pivotal role of associations in advancing net zero goals, exemplified by BEAMA, the UK trade association for providers and manufacturers of energy infrastructure technologies and systems. The session provided strategic insights into how associations can speed up decarbonisation in their sectors and support members — whether large corporates or SMEs — in setting and achieving credible climate targets.

Associations as Natural Climate Leaders

The webinar opened with a clear message: trade associations are essential enablers of climate action. By aggregating influence, providing tailored support, and setting norms for their sectors, associations are uniquely placed to mainstream net zero ambition.

They emerge as natural climate leaders, especially in a context of rising demand from businesses globally (particularly in the UK and the EU) for more science-alignment from the associations they are member to, as illustrated by the recent WBCSD Playbook launch and InfluenceMap report.

Panelists highlighted how associations:

• Act as multipliers by engaging large networks of businesses and professionals.

• Provide guidance tailored to sector-specific challenges and opportunities.

• Shape industry standards and advocate for supportive policy environments.

CAFA emphasised that associations can go beyond awareness-raising by helping members embed climate action into strategy and operations — whether through toolkits, training, peer learning, or direct engagement with initiatives like SBTi.

Why Science-Based Targets Matter

SBTi presented compelling evidence on the importance of science-based targets (SBTs) as the gold standard for corporate climate ambition. With global scrutiny intensifying around greenwashing and weak claims, SBTs provide a robust, transparent framework aligned with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C trajectory.

Additionally, science-based targets give organisations a clear pathway for emissions reduction — and credibility in the eyes of investors, customers, and regulators.

Setting SBTs demonstrates that a company isn’t just committing to net zero — it’s doing so based on the latest climate science and measurable impact.

How To Set Science-based Targets

The session included a practical breakdown of how to set SBTs, addressing both corporate and SME audiences:

• Large Corporates typically engage in a more detailed process, involving:

  • Comprehensive scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions mapping

  • Alignment with the SBTi Net-Zero Standard

  • Submission for validation through SBTi

• SMEs, on the other hand, benefit from a streamlined route. SBTi’s SME pathway:

  • Requires simplified disclosure of emissions and reduction targets

  • Focuses primarily on scope 1 and 2, with encouragement (not requirement) to address scope 3

  • Offers faster approval and lighter reporting burdens

This dual-pathway approach ensures that organisations of all sizes can engage meaningfully with net zero planning.

BEAMA: A Case Study in Association Leadership

The webinar concluded with an inspiring case study from BEAMA, the UK trade association for manufacturers and providers of energy infrastructure technologies. BEAMA has positioned itself as a trailblazer in enabling net zero within its sector.

In April 2024, BEAMA launched its Net Zero Service — a pioneering initiative designed to support members in navigating the transition to net zero. This service offers a comprehensive corporate toolkit tailored to the evolving landscape of industrial decarbonisation, with a focus on reducing both emitted and embodied carbon while embracing circular economy principles.

Key components of BEAMA's Net Zero Service include:

• Educational Resources: Toolkits covering essential net zero and sustainability topics such as climate commitments, transition plans, finance, offsetting, and broader guidance on reducing all scopes of emissions. These resources include educational materials, market tools, case studies, and standards to guide members through their decarbonisation journeys.

  
  

• Collaboration and Learning Opportunities: A programme of events, webinars and workshops aimed at fostering peer learning and collaboration. These initiatives help members engage with others across the supply chain and the wider market.

  
  

• Technical Sustainability Committee: A specialist committee established to review and engage in the development of relevant standards and best practice. Ad hoc task and finish groups also address emerging market and supply chain challenges and opportunities.

  
  

In January 2025, BEAMA published a landmark report titled Securing the Future: A Policy Roadmap to Accelerate Industrial Decarbonisation and Strengthen Supply Chains. The roadmap outlines practical steps to support the UK's transition to a decarbonised supply chain, while strengthening the competitiveness of its manufacturing base. Key recommendations include the creation of a government-led oversight body for sustainability metrics, the development of an Industrial Decarbonisation Roadmap, and tailored support for SMEs through phased regulation and guidance.

BEAMA’s proactive and structured approach highlights how associations can go beyond convening stakeholders — they can act as strategic partners in delivering meaningful, sector-wide climate action.

AMDEA: Driving Sustainability in Everyday Living

Also featured in the webinar was the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances (AMDEA), the voice of the UK’s home appliance industry. AMDEA brought to the conversation a crucial reminder: achieving net zero isn’t just about industrial processes and infrastructure — it’s also about the products people use in their homes every day.

Drawing on insights from its 2025 Appliance Industry Conference, AMDEA shared how it is helping the sector navigate the twin challenges of decarbonisation and circularity, while supporting both manufacturers and consumers in making more sustainable choices.

AMDEA’s efforts focus on four key areas:

• Empowering Consumers: By promoting responsible appliance use, AMDEA is helping households reduce energy consumption, save on bills, and lower emissions. Their educational campaigns aim to shift behaviours and extend product life cycles through better maintenance and repair.

  
  

• Championing Design for Circularity: AMDEA is actively encouraging its members to embed sustainability into product design — prioritising durability, repairability, and recyclability to reduce waste and promote a more circular economy.

  
  

• Harnessing Smart Technology: The association is also highlighting the potential of smart appliances to optimise energy use, integrate with low-carbon homes, and support demand-side flexibility in future energy systems.

  
  

• Collaborating on Policy and Standards: AMDEA works closely with policymakers and industry partners to shape sustainability standards that are ambitious yet practical, ensuring that environmental goals are met without compromising on performance or affordability.

  
  

By placing the consumer at the heart of climate action, AMDEA is helping to drive meaningful change across millions of homes. Their work is a powerful example of how associations can mobilise not only businesses, but also the public, in the collective push towards net zero.

Final Thoughts

As climate targets become both a moral and regulatory imperative, associations and the SBTi are forging a path forward — together. The webinar left attendees with a clear call to action: now is the time for associations to lead from the front, empower their members, and ensure that net zero isn’t just an ambition, but a science-based, sector-wide reality.

For more resources or to begin your science-based targets journey, visit SBTi.org or connect with Climate Action for Associations via climateactionforassociations.org.