The ACT Initiative

ACT is an international initiative working with global economic players to support the establishment of local ecosystems.

About the initiative

Formally launched in 2015 at COP21, the ACT initiative was founded by ADEME and developed in partnership with CDP. Now hosted by WBA, ACT is a pioneering international initiative that creates a “climate accountabilityframework to evaluate companies‘ transition plans. Over the years, the ACT initiative has developed sector-specific methodologies and has significantly influenced many of the most recent transition plan frameworks and regulations. Rebranded as Accelerate Climate Transition, the initiative continues to provide tools and methods to assess the credibility of companies‘ transition plans. Since 2023, it has also introduced tools and methods to help companies develop these plans and assess their adaptation strategies.

CO2 emissions have increased by 1000% during the last century. It is critical that we reverse this pattern.

Carbon accounting has become a must for organizations mindful of the climate impact of their activities. However, practices in accounting and disclosing GHG emissions are different from one company to another and global emissions are still growing. We take a holistic view of a company’s operational impacts and dependencies, as well as of its supply chain. The ultimate goal is to drive action by companies and put them on a well below 2°C compatible pathway.

The ACT – Accelerate Climate Transition® initiative supports and assesses how ready an organization is to transition to the low-carbon economy using a future-oriented, sector specifïc methodology. It is the natural next step to bring accountability to the growing number of actions that organizations are taking to tackle climate change. 

Since the pilot project launched in 2015 by the founders – ADEME and CDP – ACT has received the backing of companies, investors and government departments. ACT is a joint voluntary initiative of the UNFCCC secretariat Global Climate Agenda (visit ACT on the NAZCA portal).

Our values

Expertise

All our methodologies are the result of a joint effort between engineers from ADEME, CDP and the World Benchmarking Alliance. ADEME is a recognised expert in the green transition.

Trust

We select the most relevant information (core business and stakeholders) to assess the transition to a low-carbon economy.

Reliability

The data required for the assessment must be verified or verifiable. Where time-series data are used, they must be comparable over time.

The process

Measure your impact

Measurement is the first step towards reducing environmental impacts, based on the principle that ‘what gets measured gets managed’. A comprehensive GHG emissions inventory helps organisations understand their emissions profile and identify opportunities for reducing emissions. Furthermore, a greenhouse gas inventory is mandatory for companies in mainland France with 500 or more employees.

Draw up your action plan

ACT Pas à Pas meets the needs of businesses to develop coherent low-carbon strategies and implement effective action plans, regardless of their size or sector. From objectives to actions and then to showcasing results. Is your transition plan aligned?

Assess and refine your climate strategy

ACT Evaluation enables companies to assess their climate strategies by taking their specific sector into account. ACT currently covers sectors with a significant impact on the climate.

Showcase your achievements

If you would like to publicise your commitments, make use of the recognition scheme. Please contact us for further details.

They trust us

‘ACT provides a framework for understanding the type of information to look for in order to assess our clients' progress.’

Founders

ADEME - The French Agency for Ecological Transition is a public agency under the joint authority of the Ministry for an Ecological Transition and the Ministry for Higher Education, Research and Innovation.At ADEME, we are firmly committed to fighting global warming and the depletion of our natural resources. On all fronts, we mobilise citizens, economic actors and territories towards a fairer, more harmonious, low carbon and resource-efficient society. Whatever the field - energy, circular economy, food, mobility, air quality, adaptation to climate change, soils, etc. - we advise, facilitate and help finance many projects, from research to solutions sharing. At every level, our expertise and forecasting capacities serve to guide and inform public policies.
ACT was developed thanks to the contributions of many people, including ADEME staff such as Romain Poivet and Thomas Gourdon, as well as expert consultants. Their contributions are acknowledged in the Framework and in the various methodologies available on the website.

Host

WBA develops in close collaboration with its Alliance a series of benchmarks assessing 2,000 of the world’s most influential companies, ranking and measuring them on their contributions to the SDGs. This information will be freely available to everyone. Investors, governments, civil society, individuals and the companies themselves will be empowered.

Technical Patners

CDP is a not-for-profit charity that runs the global disclosure system for investors, companies, cities, states and regions to manage their environmental impacts.

Supporters

COFUNDERS

INVESTORS CHARTER SIGNATORY

OUTREACH SUPPORT