Ceres mourns the loss of Richard Trumka, President of the AFL-CIO, a true friend and early champion of working people and building a more just and inclusive economy that mitigates the climate crisis while boosting prosperity for all. He devoted his life to people, communities and the planet, and he was a beloved friend and colleague to many at Ceres.
Ceres CEO and President Mindy Lubber, said:Â
“We are deeply saddened to learn of Richard Trumka’s passing. He was a true legend who worked tirelessly to assure fairness, equity and justice for everyone. His commitment to change the course of history for workers and the broader labor movement was unparalleled. His passion to improve the lives of every working person was legendary and the changes that came from his leadership impacted the lives of tens of millions of men and women. He also recognized early on that the climate crisis posed a threat not only to our planet and human health but also to our economy and workforce. More than anyone I can think of, Trumka brought together labor leaders with environmental and sustainability leaders across business and finance to show just how essential our shared visions and partnerships were in creating more resilient communities and jobs and tackling systemic inequities and inequalities across industries.”Â
As a speaker at several Ceres conferences, Trumka encouraged collaboration and bridge-building. In 2012, he gave a speech at the Ceres Investor Summit so powerful that it brought attendees to tears. “The only way for our democracy to act is for those who care about climate change to engage with the people whose livelihoods are tied up with carbon emissions,” he said. “All of us - investors, companies, workers, environmental activists, governments -- need to be part of this dialogue. Any other approach to addressing climate risk is not just fundamentally unfair, it simply won’t work in our democracy.”
To continue his legacy, Ceres will forge ahead in our work of engaging investors and companies to collaborate with policymakers, workers and communities in driving equitable solutions to build a stronger, more just and inclusive future.
Ceres is a nonprofit organization working with the most influential capital market leaders to solve the world’s greatest sustainability challenges. Through our powerful networks and global collaborations of investors, companies and nonprofits, we drive action and inspire equitable market-based and policy solutions throughout the economy to build a just and sustainable future. For more information, visit ceres.org and follow @CeresNews.