A new climate change initiative, ClimateVoice, has launched to help employees at big companies press their bosses for more aggressive policies to fight climate change.

The organisation, led by former Google and Facebook sustainability chief Bill Weihl, is designed to mobilise the workforce to urge companies to go “all in” on climate, both in business practices and policy advocacy.

Students preparing to enter the workforce and current employees will be invited to take the ClimateVoice Pledge, to leverage their influence to urge companies to go #AllinOnClimate. Those making the Pledge will get action updates and tools they can use to raise the climate issue with employers.

Launching the initiative at the ClimateCAP conference in Virginia last month, Bill Weihl said: “America’s corporate sector has the power to disrupt climate change and put us on a path of steep carbon reductions.

“Many companies are doing great sustainability work in their operations, and some are speaking up – but not enough of them, and not often enough. Silence is no longer an option. ClimateVoice is mobilising the power of the workforce to activate companies to raise their voice in climate policy battles.

“Unleashing the muscle of the corporate sector will be a climate game changer, tipping the balance on policy battles that are now stacked in favor of polluting industries. We invite all current and future employees to visit us at climatevoice.org and take the ClimateVoice Pledge.”

ClimateVoice has announced three policy focus areas for its launch. The Virginia Clean Economy Act (VCEA) would make Virginia a leader on climate, and ClimateVoice is urging action before the close of the legislative session in March. In Illinois, ClimateVoice is calling on workers and companies to back the state’s pending Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA). ClimateVoice will also focus on the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI), a regional effort aimed at reducing transportation emissions in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states.

Over the next few months, ClimateVoice will be engaging students and activists at a series of climate-related events across the US, including the GoGreen conference in Seattle next month.

Rosa Medea is Life & Soul Magazine’s Chief. She writes about lifestyle including sustainable and green living. She also offers content services to businesses and individuals at Rosamedea.com