Association of Climate Change Officers

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Association of Climate Change Officers (ACCO)?

ACCO is a professional development organization whose mission is to define, develop and support the functions, resources and communities necessary for effective organizational leadership in addressing climate-related risks and opportunities.

What are some examples of goals that ACCO will aim to achieve?

ACCO will endeavor to advance the professional knowledge, skills and experience of those dedicated to developing and managing GHG strategies, and to promote the development and implementation of best practices involving organizational structures and incentives. Some examples of goals will include:

Enhance credibility and understanding of critical role climate change officers play, while enabling companies to stay ahead of the curve in addressing challenges brought on by climate change and climate change policy;
Advance standards of climate change efforts and professional climate change officers;
Provide a resource for businesses and government seeking expertise in the fields of climate change and energy;
Promote and enhance collegial and professional relationships among members of ACCO and its committees and between the ACCO and other professional organizations;
Enhance public awareness of ACCO and the duties and needs of its members, and promote working relationships with other related professional, industry and government organizations;
Develop a certification and re-certification program for practitioners on the basis of regulatory requirements, professional competence, study and experience; and
Provide a platform of continuing professional education for its membership to maintain current and active expertise in the laws, rules, regulations, court decisions and best practices involving climate change and energy.

Will ACCO take a policy position on climate change or related issues?

ACCO will not take any policy positions on climate change, but will provide educational opportunities for members and information to policymakers on how companies are responding to climate change challenges and opportunities (while also spotlighting ACCO members’ innovation and efforts).

Who should join ACCO?

Any organization or individual with an active interest in developing and managing climate change strategies and compliance with existing and impending policy at the municipal, state, regional, national and international levels, as well as companies and institutions that employ them, should join ACCO. Professionals services firms and consultants should pay particular attention to the guidelines and thresholds they must meet in order to join (see http://www.ACCOonline.org/membership.html for more information).

I'm new to the climate change profession. Can I still join ACCO?

Yes. Whether you're an experienced climate change professional or new to the field, we invite you to join. Membership is open to all individuals of high moral character with the requisite professional interest in developing and directing climate change strategies and advancing the profession.

Where are the benefits for joining ACCO?

The following benefits are available to ACCO organizational and individual members:

Opportunities to contribute content for ACCO publications and events
Subscriptions to CCO Quarterly, ACCO’s newsletter
Participation in ACCO working groups
Discounts on ACCO events and ACCO partner events, and invitations to ACCO member-only events
Access to extensive expertise across disciplines and sectors represented by ACCO’s diverse community of members, partners, sponsors and other collaborators

Additional benefits are offered to ACCO organizational members depending on membership level. Please refer to the membership brochure for the full suite of ACCO benefits.

Where can I get an application for membership?

Click here to apply directly online.

What constitutes a membership year?

For new members, the membership year is a twelve-month period that begins the month immediately after the date the online application was submitted. For example, if you submit your online membership application on May 12th, the membership year begins June 1st of that year, and ends on May 31st of the following year.

For renewing members, the membership year is a twelve-month period that begins on the 1st day in the month they originally joined ACCO, and ends the last day of the 12th month from that date. For example, if the membership year ends on May 31st, the renewal date is June 1st. In instances where payment has been processed by invoice (rather than by credit card), the membership year is not based upon the date in which payment was received.

How can I renew my membership next year?

An invoice will be issued 45 days prior to the renewal date to notify the member of the impending renewal. Payment is due within 30 days of receipt of invoice.

What happens if I let my membership expire?

If the member does not renew before the end of the current membership year, they will enter a 30-day grace period. The grace period allows the member to retain their most recent membership join date and consecutive years of membership until the grace period ends. If the member fails to submit payment within 30 days following the renewal date, ACCO will suspend membership benefits until payment has been received.

What if I renew after my expiration date?

If the member renews during the grace period, the member will retain the membership join date and consecutive years of membership. If the member renews after their grace period has ended, the member will lose consecutive years of membership and have a new membership start date. For questions regarding the status of membership, please contact ACCO at members@ACCOonline.org.

What does it mean to upgrade my membership?

Members can upgrade their membership at anytime. Upgrading membership involves a change in membership level (basic to bronze, bronze to silver or silver to gold). The membership expiration date is extended by one year when an organization upgrades its membership.

How do I change my contact information with ACCO?

Members can update their contact information at any time. Any such request should be sent in writing to members@ACCOonline.org.

How can I participate in ACCO Working Groups?

All ACCO members are eligible to participate in ACCO Working Groups. Non-members may be invited to participate by ACCO. Invitations to participate in an ACCO Working Group are extended based on a consensus of ACCO leadership, Working Group chairs/co-chairs and current Working Group members. If you’re interested in joining an existing working group, please contact ACCO at members@ACCOonline.org.
Working Groups are formed when a group of at least four (4) ACCO members request establishment of a Working Group and establish a draft charter supporting the launch of the group. In some instances, ACCO members and leadership will recruit fellow and/or prospective members to launch a new Working Group.

How can I access ACCO research reports?

Abstracts and publicly available reports from all ACCO research projects will be stored on the ACCO website at www.ACCOonline.org/knowledge.html.

Individual and basic organizational members interested in downloading complete reports may purchase the reports at a discounted rate. As reports may vary in price, members will receive a 25% discount on reports.
Bronze, silver and gold organizational members should reference the instruction sheet for their membership category for information on how to access non-public complete reports and raw data (if applicable) from research projects.

Raw data is not available to individual, basic or bronze members.

How can I be featured in the ACCO Membership Spotlight?

Individual members can fill out the Member Profile Form and send by email to members@ACCOonline.org along with a high-res photo of the individual. ACCO will select a few members each month to be featured. Spotlight forms submitted without a photo of the individual member will not be featured.

What if I don’t want to be featured in the ACCO Membership Spotlight?

Opting out of the Membership Spotlight can be accomplished by selecting "No" at the corresponding question on the Member Spotlight Form.

If I change jobs, does my membership "travel" with me?

Individual memberships are owned by the individual in question as long as they are not purchased or assigned as part of an organizational membership package. If a qualifying individual changes employers, his/her individual membership transfers along with him/her. Any such employer and contact information changes should be sent in writing to members@ACCOonline.org.

If the member is an employee of an organizational member, the organization maintains the right to that individual membership slot and may reassign the allocated slot accordingly by sending the request in writing to members@ACCOonline.org.

Can I use the ACCO name and logo?

The ACCO logo and word mark are proprietary and may not be used without permission, nor may they be used as a statement of endorsement.

Paid members in good standing may include the ACCO logo, a statement of membership (including membership level), and/or a link to the ACCO website (www.ACCOonline.org) on their company’s website only with prior approval from ACCO or under special circumstances as defined by ACCO (such as under a Conference Sponsorship Agreement).

To obtain permission to use ACCO’s word mark or logo, please contact ACCO Executive Director Daniel Kreeger. The ACCO logo and word mark may not be used by members after membership expiration or cancellation.

Are my membership dues tax deductible?

ACCO is incorporated in Washington, DC as a 501(c)(3) public benefit nonprofit organization. The following guidelines apply to members interested in claiming their annual membership dues as a tax-exempt charitable contribution:

Individual	Basic	Bronze	Silver	Gold
Not Eligible	Not Eligible	$1,250	$2,500	$5,000

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