Hundreds of businesses to join ‘queue for climate’ on London’s Millennium Bridge

TV personalities Chris Packham and Deborah Meaden, and the former boss of Unilever, are among those endorsing the demonstration.

Business leaders will protest on London’s Millennium Bridge (Ian West/PA) (PA Archive)

TV presenter Chris Packham, businesswoman Deborah Meaden and the former boss of Unilever are among hundreds of business professionals backing a demonstration over climate change on London’s Millennium Bridge on Friday.

The demonstrators, dressed in suits and business wear, will walk out of work and form an orderly queue across central London.

Organised by Business Declares, Business Stand Up and others, it will call on the Government to take more firm and urgent action to quell climate change.

The days of politicians being able to blame their climate timidity on business are well and truly over

Paul Polman, former Unilever chief executive

Private sector workers are “shouting from the rooftops” to urge politicians to do more to tackle the issue, Paul Polman, former chief executive of Unilever and adviser to the UK Government on the Cop26 climate summit, said.

He added: “The days of politicians being able to blame their climate timidity on business are well and truly over.”

Thousands of business professionals and industry stakeholders are concerned about climate change and future business security, the organisers say.

Wildlife TV presenter and conservationist Chris Packham said he was urging businesses to join the demonstration to “send a clear message to our politicians that we need action to address climate breakdown now”.

People joining the queue will also sign an open letter to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and all political parties asking them to commit to three key actions to speed up the transition to a more environmentally friendly world.

It asks them to commit to investing in renewables, take action to protect and restore nature, and ending new fossil fuel developments in the UK, including approvals for oil and gas exploration.

The chief executives of Ella’s Kitchen and Cook, and directors at Divine Chocolate and The Body Shop owner Natura & Co, are among the business leaders backing the campaign.

The central London demonstration will be the first time in the UK that hundreds of business professionals have gathered together and formed a peaceful queue in protest, the organisers said.