5 Ways Businesses Can Celebrate Earth Hour 2024

^{© Picture Alliance / Jan Haas / WWF-Germany}

Businesses are critical in moving the world towards a more sustainable future. Companies of all sizes can do their part to adhere their operations to the best sustainability standards and positively influence their supply chain. As we approach Earth Hour 2024, WWF Central and Eastern Europe invites businesses to reflect on their role in environmental stewardship, but also to celebrate nature with us. Here are five ideas how to do that: 

1. Lights off in offices and at home

As always, switch off non-essential lights in your buildings, facilities and signage during Earth Hour from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. For offices that are closed over the weekends ensure your employees switch off lights when they leave on Friday evening. For larger buildings, plan ahead with facilities and building managers to manage the logistics of switching off non-essential lighting for Earth Hour including neon lights – in and around your properties. Post all your activities online and tag them with #EarthHour.

2. Invite your colleagues and customers to join the WWF celebration program 

No matter if you are living in Hungary, Slovakia, Czechia, Bulgaria, Romania or Ukraine, you can join the WWF-CEE national offices celebration. Check out the planned activities in your country here.

3. Organise a ‘Green Team’ in your office and engage your employees

Build a core green team group by finding a few like-minded employees at your workplace. Then, determine how your team will be structured, what areas of focus you would like to work on and what responsibilities each member has. Download the WWF-Canada green team how-to guide and other related resources below to help you along the way. There are many benefits to doing this which includes relieving the stress of having to organise and execute ideas individually, gaining insight on different perspectives on sustainability ideas and forging innovative environmental action for your company. You can find more ideas and assets for your team for the upcoming celebration in our Earth Hour Corporate Engagement Handbook.

4. Introduce the Nature Strategy Handbook to your dedicated sustainability colleagues

Regulation on corporate nature disclosure is coming. Investors are getting serious about the risks of nature loss. Consumers are demanding change. 196 countries committed to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030 by adopting the Global Biodiversity Framework. Within the framework, large businesses and financial institutions are required to assess and disclose their impacts and dependencies on nature.

Now is the time for every business to create a nature strategy – a roadmap of how it will contribute to a nature-positive world. Check out the Nature Strategy Handbook here and share it with your sustainability expert team.

5. Get in touch and partner with WWF Central and Eastern Europe

The threats facing our planet affect us all. Only by working together can we find solutions to tackle these threats at scale. We take pride in being the partner of choice for forward thinking private-sector organisations. Professional, pragmatic, credible and solution-oriented, we offer access to a global network of experts and opportunities. With deep expertise in sustainability and environmental stewardship, we deliver thought leadership and innovation.

Whether through reducing risk, improving the bottom line, ensuring security of supply, strengthening your brand, or securing a license to operate, acting for nature makes good business sense. Earth Hour is just one of our many initiatives at WWF - work with us today for positive change, and together we can transform business for people and the planet. Find out more at https://wwfcee.org/partnerships or contact Violetka Minkova, WWF-CEE Regional Corporate Partnership Manager, vminkova@wwfcee.org. 

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