The organisers of the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow have hit back at criticism that it has been “mismanaged”.

Blue-chip companies that have stumped up millions in sponsorship of the November conference have accused organisers of “inertia” and “shifting goalposts”, the Guardian has reported.

A letter to ministers reportedly organised by Sky and signed by sponsors including NatWest and SSE is said to have accused government planners of delayed decisions and poor communication, blaming “very inexperienced” civil servants.

A COP26 source today said in a statement: “COP26 is the biggest event hosted by the UK government since the 2012 London Olympics, further complicated by a global pandemic.”

The source said the majority of corporate sponsors “who are receiving unprecedented access to this event” have said they are “delighted with the support, despite the operational complexities of bringing 25,000 people to Glasgow from almost all the countries in the world”.

They added: “All civil servants in the COP unit, regardless of experience, are working around the clock to deliver this event in less than two weeks.”

Sky News understands a letter was sent in May, written by Sky News’ parent group Sky on behalf of the principal partners, raising concerns about the logistics, such as access to the site and hotels.

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Reports of the letter surfaced on Sunday evening in the Guardian, though sources at some of the companies who signed the letter have said that the newspaper significantly overstates their concerns.

But since then other sponsors may have raised further concerns, including an “employee of a COP26 sponsor” yesterday cited by the Guardian saying that the “biggest frustration” was the lack of information.

An SSE spokesperson said in a statement organising an event “on this scale and complexity, and in the face of so much uncertainty, is no easy task”.

“We’ve worked very constructively together and ultimately all want the same thing: a conference that showcases the best of what the UK has to offer while driving the action needed to keep 1.5 degrees alive,” they said.

A spokesperson for NatWest Group they were “proud” to be a sponsor and were “working with the government and other principal partners to ensure the summit is a success.”

COP26 is organised by the UK government as this year’s host of the annual UN climate talks and is run by the Cabinet Office. The sponsorship helps reduce the financial cost of hosting the event.

A COP veteran added: “It feels like some of these sponsors have forgotten the actual reason we’re in Glasgow. COP isn’t about branding, it’s about tackling climate change. Keeping 1.5C in reach is the best thing you can do for your bottom line and they would do well to remember this.”

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These are not the only concerns raised about the logistics of the event. Scottish rail and refuse workers have voted to strike during COP26, in an ongoing row over pay.

RMT transport workers union plans to stop all train services within Scotland for almost the entirety of the two-week summit, from 1-12 November. The threat could severely disrupt the already challenging logistics of the event.

With a shortage of affordable accommodation for the summit in Glasgow, many have planned to stay in Edinburgh and commute by train to the conference.

Further obstacles including COVID-19 travel restrictions and testing requirements have also raised fears about inclusivity at the conference, which is designed to give all nations a seat at the table.

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