Purpose and Scope
This report analyses how sustainability-oriented business coalitions negotiate and mobilise to advance ambitious climate policy. It forms part of CEMUNE’s Business4Climate (B4C) project, which seeks to deepen the understanding of collective business action as a driver of change and ambition. This report explores how business coalitions
· align diverse corporate interests,
· develop internal structures and organisational processes,
· navigate the evolving political landscape that shapes climate policy outcomes.
Through the lens of negotiation theory, our analysis focuses on both internal and external dimensions of coalition dynamics. Internally, we explore how coalitions coordinate, sustain member commitment, and balance competing priorities and organisational structures. Externally, we assess how these coalitions engage with governments and civil society to influence policy design and foster greater climate ambition.
Our study draws on 27 expert interviews with practitioners from business, government, and civil society, complemented by a network analysis of coalition membership. In addition, we collected publicly available data on memberships within the We Mean Business Coalition as a case study. Ultimately, this report aims to strengthen the contribution of businesses and business coalitions to effective, ambitious and inclusive climate governance. We provide suggestions on how to enhance the strategic alignment and impact of business coalitions, by emphasising the role of negotiation.
The B4C research project
The Business for Climate project (B4C) is based on CEMUNE’s belief and track-record that better negotiations lead to better results. It aims to contribute to better climate policy by researching and supporting businesses that drive governments’ climate action, on the global, national or local levels and from or across all sectors, so that government can drive business’ climate action.
The project's first phase in 2024 consisted of research and a scientific retreat analysing business engagement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process and beyond. Our research has given us deep insights into barriers and challenges for businesses and their coalitions as well as the potential to foster collaboration and support. Based on these insights, we developed a four-step framework illustrating how effective business-government collaboration can be structured: (1) development of science-based policies, (2) ensure corporate priorities on climate action, (3) joint and public national political climate advocacy and (4) robust national implementation. All four steps are needed to achieve successful implementation and all four can be facilitated through the best possible negotiations. The findings pointed toward the central role of business coalitions broadening corporate actions and aligning interests behind policy recommendations and other forms of collaboration that can help accelerate decarbonization. Given their reach and diversity, coalitions represent one of the most promising levers for advancing ambitious climate policy and fostering coordinated action.
Key findings
Our findings highlight how business coalitions have evolved from voluntary, advocacy-oriented networks into complex negotiation arenas that shape corporate climate ambition. The internal and external negotiation dynamics of these coalitions reveal both opportunities and constraints for more effective collective action.
1. 🎯Clear positioning on climate objectives can attract supportive members.
2. 🤝Managing internal multi-stakeholder negotiations is crucial, as the member-base strongly influences actions and narratives of coalitions.
3. 🌍Geographical fragmentation of climate policy is testing business coalitions’ ability to adapt their strategic focus, allocate resources and coordinate multi-stakeholder management.
4. ⚙️Flexible and solution-oriented forms of (ad-hoc) collaboration create opportunities to solve sector-specific (and regional) challenges.
5. 🔄Creating more options for agreement can improve coalitions’ role as intermediaries for diverse societal actors.
6. 🚀Support in internal negotiations and scaling of innovation enhances coalitions’ transformative role for members
7. 🛡️Business coalitions are challenged to balance shielding member interests and providing platforms for positive policy engagement