Kirklees Climate Commission is looking for new volunteer Commissioners from the business community to help drive local climate action.

The Kirklees Climate Commission (KCC) was founded in 2021 as an independent advocate driving fair, innovative and effective climate change action within the Kirklees district.

It provides advice and services to help businesses and communities adapt to a rapidly changing climate while reducing greenhouse gas emissions in line with national commitments.

Seven new Commissioners joined in early 2025 but, with other founder members leaving, KCC is now looking for three new Commissioners.

Applications are particularly welcome from leaders in the local business community, especially people with experience in manufacturing, retail, infrastructure and civil engineering.

The Commissioners are unpaid volunteers who bring experience and expertise from a variety of backgrounds.

They work closely with Kirklees Council and the University of Huddersfield to provide independent advice and support to local households, groups and businesses.

Recent work has included consulting with the council on its strategic plans, and supporting local community groups to improve energy efficiency and cut heating bills.

KCC is also working with Huddersfield-based charity Uniform Exchange to assess the environmental benefits of its work to share unwanted school clothing with families across the district.

Uniform Exchange founder Kate France discussed the charity’s work at the Commission’s October meeting. Established in 2011, Uniform Exchange now works with all 182 schools in Kirklees to redistribute more than 75,000 items of uniform.

KCC members are now helping calculate the environmental benefits of the charity’s work, in terms of reduced emissions, water use and waste.

Having reliable data on these benefits could help the charity raise more money from sustainability-focused sources of funding.

Kate said: “Working with the Kirklees Climate Commission to measure our green footprint gives us the evidence to show what we’ve long believed, that social action and climate action go hand in hand.

“Every donation, every volunteer hour and every child helped is part of a bigger picture – a fairer, cleaner and more connected Kirklees.”

Find out more about becoming a Commissioner HERE.

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