Dame Emma Thompson is among celebrities calling on Wimbledon to sever ties with Barclays over its fossil fuel ties.
The Oscar-winning actress has signed a letter to the organizers of the tournament, which began on Monday, objecting to the sponsorship deal with the bank on climate change grounds.
Other signatories to the letter include Love Rather director Richard Curtis, musician Brian Eno, Green MP Caroline Lucas, Dragons’ Den star Deborah Meaden and retail consultant and broadcaster Mary Portas.
In a letter to Sally Bolton, chief executive of the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC), the activists wrote: “Barclays funds and benefits from climate chaos and the acceptance of a sponsorship deal from them is a validation of those actions.”
Wimbledon announced Barclays as their official banking partner in November when the bank succeeded HSBC.
Environmental policy “not consistent”
The signatories also said the Wimbledon partnership was not “consistent” with Wimbledon’s environmental policy. The Grand Slam event aims to reduce its emissions to “net zero” by 2030.
The letter also said: “We hope that you will reconsider this decision and end your partnership with Barclays.”
“By taking action like this, you can be a real leader on climate action and maintain the AELTC’s proud leadership in culture and sport, both in the UK and around the world.”
Greenpeace UK, XR Money Rebellion and Christiana Figueres, the former UN climate chief who was responsible for implementing the Paris climate agreement in 2015, are also campaign supporters.
On Monday, Ms Bolton said: “We really welcome Barclays this year, they are a fantastic new partner.”
“A key part of their involvement with us is making a significant donation to the foundation, which enables them to help those in need across the UK. We’re really proud of that and are working closely with Barclays to develop this relationship.
“Our commitment to being environmentally friendly is a serious commitment and we firmly believe that we can play an important role in this together with other sports federations and we do not shy away from that.”
Temporarily stopped
In May, environmental protesters caused Barclays’ annual shareholders meeting in central London to be temporarily suspended.
At the event, the bank’s management team came under pressure over its climate policies and its decision not to stop funding oil and gas field development.
Barclays chairman Nigel Higgins said: “The world cannot function without fossil fuels at this time.”
He also said that in recent years the bank has scaled back its financing of energy companies and reduced emissions from its energy portfolio by a third.
A spokesman for the AELTC highlighted Barclays’ support for the Wimbledon Foundation charity and the aim of the championship to have a “positive impact on the environment”.
The statement also said: “We know that this is one of the defining challenges of our time and we are fully committed to doing our part.”
“From using 100 percent renewable electricity and offering low-carbon options on our menu, to sending waste to landfill and promoting a culture of reuse, we work hard to achieve a positive environmental impact in all of our operations.”
A spokesman for Barclays said “tackling climate change is an urgent and complex challenge”, adding the company had provided £87bn of green finance over the last five years.
They also said that oil and gas companies are “vital to the transition and have committed significant resources and expertise to renewable energy.”
“Unless companies are willing to reduce their emissions in line with internationally recognized pathways, they may struggle to access financing, including from Barclays,” the statement said.
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