Aims

The Aldersgate Group is a politically impartial, multi-stakeholder alliance making the case for effective climate and environmental action. Our vision is for a growing, environmentally sustainable UK economy in which business plays an active role.

Our members are leaders in their fields, and include some of the largest businesses in the UK as well as leading NGOs, professional institutes and academic institutions.

Our mission is to accelerate progress on climate and environment as part of a growing economy. Through careful evidence gathering, policy development and targeted engagement with policy makers, our work demonstrates the clear business case for decarbonising the UK economy, improving resource efficiency and investing in the natural environment. We aim to put forward practical policy solutions to deliver this investment on the ground.

We call on the government to:

• Set a high level of ambition in climate policy, resource efficiency and environmental protection and restoration.
• Deliver on this ambition with clear, coherent, forward-looking and well-supported legislation that can tackle the UK’s climate and environmental challenges, while setting an example of international best practice.
• Provide the policy stability needed to unlock affordable business investment in the green infrastructure, products and services required to achieve the UK’s targets on net zero emissions, climate adaptation, resource efficiency and nature restoration.
• Develop a comprehensive strategy on skills development to ensure that the current and future workforce have the skills they need to benefit from the investment and job creation associated with the UK’s net zero emissions target and other environmental goals.

Our expert Secretariat manages the policy output and administrative management of the Aldersgate Group, which is overseen by its board of directors and senior leadership team.

What we do

We develop independent policy insights based on targeted research, sound evidence and the extensive expertise of our members. Through our diverse membership, we advocate for policy change that delivers positive environmental development and economic benefits across the UK. The Group is focused on ensuring that the UK’s climate and environmental targets translate into measures that are environmentally effective and that grow affordable investment in low carbon infrastructure, products and services. We also advocate for climate and environmental policy to result in positive impacts in supply chain growth, significant job creation and investment in skills across the country.

Using our unique position and real-life business case study insights from our cross-sectoral membership, we engage with key decision makers, respond to important consultations and inquiries, develop major policy reports and briefings, and hold high-level debates to present coherent solutions to important and complex policy challenges.

Our annual report and financial accounts

Our most recent annual report, including details of recent achievements and future organisational priorities, can be seen below:

Our founding story

Origins and vision

In 2006, a group of experienced environmental and business leaders came together with a shared conviction: the environment must sit at the heart of economic competitiveness. Building on previous discussion and consensus, the group met at Aldersgate Street to create a new movement, and the Aldersgate Group was born.

The founding discussion was convened by Adrian Wilkes (then at Environmental Industries Commission), joined by Sir John Harman (Environment Agency), Tim Jenkins (Friends of the Earth), Ian Dickie (RSPB), and Peter Young (Enviros).

Founding principles

The group agreed on its key principles:

1. Economic success depends on a healthy environment and the wise use of natural resources.
2. Industry figures on the costs of environmental protection are consistently exaggerated and the benefits of high environmental standards downplayed.
3. At a company level, good environmental performance and efficiency in the use of resources are good business.
4. Better regulation should not mean deregulation.
5. Timely adoption of higher environmental standards gives early-mover advantage for environmental industry – a huge growth sector.

Early milestones

May 2006: The Group published its first report, Green Foundations, promoting novel messages and showing support from a unique coalition of businesses, environmental groups and thinktanks – Aldersgate Group’s first members. Many of these original members are still involved with the Group today.

April 2007: Aldersgate Group was formally incorporated as a non‑profit, enshrining its unique approach to facilitating collegiate decision-making with balanced representation across the economy. Andrew Raingold was appointed as the first Executive Director.

December 2007: Leadership evolved as Peter Young became Chair in December 2007. Founding Chair, Adrian Wilkes, remained with the Group as Deputy, ensuring continuity and momentum.

Impact and growth

2008: The global financial crisis risked derailing environmental progress, but the Group held strong. It made an immediate impact on policy, such as when the Stern Review’s findings were enshrined in law in the form of the Climate Change Act that year.

2009: An updated Green Foundations 2009 was launched in the House of Commons Dining Room, with Ed Miliband as the keynote speaker and over 200 attendees. In June, there was wide endorsement for Aldersgate Group’s call for high environmental standards, setting the stage for future work on green finance and markets.