- Conference
- 2022 Energy Service Group Conference
- Date
- 22 February 2022
- Decision
- Carried
Conference recalls that the “UNISON Energy workers and the drive to Net Zero and Carbon Neutrality by 2050” motion passed at the 2021 Energy conference highlighted the measures promoted by the service group which would retain and promote members jobs in the energy sector while driving the changes necessary to decarbonise energy and called on the Service Group Executive to promote this work within UNISON to inform the wider membership.
Conference recognises that the self-organised groups have an important role to play in raising awareness of the measures being promoted by the service group. It welcomes the motion ‘Climate change is an LGBT+ issue’ adopted by the 2021 Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender plus (LGBT+) conference, which recognised that we are at a defining moment when it comes to climate change. Its impacts are global in scope and unparalleled, and it is evident that on a global level people who are already most vulnerable and marginalised will experience the greatest impacts of climate change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report identified LGBT+ communities as one such group.
Conference also notes that UNISON is part of a broad-based civil society coalition, including the TUC, Friends of the Earth and Amnesty International, which is campaigning for a new ‘failure to prevent’ law that would mandate both companies and the public sector to undertake human rights and environmental due diligence across their supply chains, and would hold companies to account when they fail to prevent human rights abuses and environmental damage in their business. This would increase protection for workers, communities, human rights defenders and the environment.
Conference therefore calls on the service group executive to:
1)Work with the national LGBT+ committee to raise awareness amongst LGBT+ members on climate change and the measures being promoted by the service group to decarbonise energy
2)Work with other sections of the union as appropriate to produce guidance for branches in Energy on the ethical procurement of any goods or services they purchase (such as equipment and furniture)
3)Work with other sections of the union as appropriate to produce guidance for branches in Energy on ways to advocate for ethical procurement policies with employers
4)Work with the NEC to support the campaign for a new ‘failure to prevent’ law