Many of us are very concerned about climate change and the impact on the quality of life of our children and grandchildren — a view expressed by more than 80% of older South Australians in a COTA SA survey.

The COTA SA Climate Change group has been liaising directly with Adelaide-based companies listed on the Australian Stock Exchange about their plans to reduce carbon emissions, as many COTA members either directly or indirectly (through superannuation) own shares in those companies. The Chair of each of these companies were contacted and participated in fruitful discussions.

One such company is Elders — established in Adelaide in 1839 and well-known throughout regional Australia. The Climate Change Group met with Chief Executive Officer, Mark Allison and a number of his senior staff in March 2022. Elders’ commitment to reduce its own carbon emissions and also to help its customers navigate through climate change was impressive as growing our food is a vital enterprise.

Elders has recently invited us to talk to its key staff again about its recently-released Sustainability Report — a positive sign that constructive feedback from COTA SA and shareholders of companies is valued.

Contacting companies, whether one is an investor or a purchaser of goods and services — about carbon emissions is a very practical way to express concerns about climate change.

Read more about our meetings with ASX listed companies and what we learned from these conversations in our report, Acting on climate change: Choosing where to spend and invest.

If you would like any help to do something like this or be a part of the COTA SA Climate Change group, please contact Peter Croft, Climate Change Advisory Group member by contacting COTA SA: