In the sector in which we operate at Switch2Zero, TRUST is critical.
Our members trust us to oversee a range of actions on their behalf which help them to operate their business or live their lives more sustainably. Actions like carbon offsetting, plastic removal or tree planting.
For us, S2Z, one operational deployment of this trust involves having the highest levels of scrutiny around those with whom we partner, and how we ascertain that the commitments they make about their projects are followed through and accurately measured.
Why does this matter?
Let’s bring to life why this matters so much with an example.
Have you heard of Verra? They are one of the world’s leading carbon credit providers.
However, in January 2023, UK newspaper The Guardian published an investigation into Verra’s carbon standard which, it claimed, revealed that most of the offset credits they sold (some 90%, according to the article) are likely to be phantom credits.1 The central issue was the sale of “avoided deforestations”. This supposedly means paying to protect endangered forest, and receiving credit for “offsetting emissions” in this way.
But “avoided” is a slippery definition, easily malleable, and difficult to prove or measure accurately.
Are the “protected” forests ever actually endangered? What if other forests just end up being destroyed instead? What if the protected forests get hit by a natural (or man–made) disaster and all that captured CO2 is released back into the atmosphere?
Undoubtedly, tree planting and the habitat protection that reforestation supports are critical to the future of the planet (discussed in our article here ), but the key word here is future.
Trees for the future
Trees capture carbon dioxide and help the environment throughout their lives – but they only reach their maximum potential when they hit maturity. So figures quoted for their impact in ‘scrubbing the atmosphere’ need to take that into account – as well as taking into account the odds of them actually doing that (and, indeed, the impact of them NOT doing that).
What this means is that companies shouldn’t rely on reforestation as ways to offset their current footprint, because, if they do, they land themselves back into the realm of ‘greenwashing’ – which undermines trust and severely damages brand value. But, for many businesses, this impact wasn’t deliberate – they just chose the wrong partner.
What makes us different when it comes to carbon offsetting?
So how does S2Z avoid this?
In short, it’s about clarity of actions being done, and third party accreditation.
Let’s start with clarity on the projects we help our members fund.
Switch2Zero subscriptions, or our PAYG services, enable action across three different segments:
1. Carbon Offset Projects
2. Tree Planting
3. Plastic Waste Removal
But only the first one is designed to help businesses offset their CURRENT carbon footprint, while (we hope) they work with us to get to net zero emissions.
The second two are about ‘paying it forward’ – perhaps this might be in recognition of past emissions, or more just to demonstrate that they (an individual or a business) are being socially responsible and that they care about the planet’s future.
Either way, it’s important to be clear on the impact each action has, and why, although they may be equally important, they achieve different things.
Being clear on why you are doing something, and the results it achieves, helps ensure you aren’t perceived as breaking anybody’s trust.
Now let’s examine the second element – how we choose our partners.
Our trusted partners
Our tree planting and plastic waste partners (Eden Reforestation Projects and Plastic Bank respectively) focus on empowering local communities and economies as their driving principles.
That way, even if the full environmental impact of their work won’t be felt for a decade, they are actively making a difference in the daily lives of the people they employ, providing good paying jobs and key infrastructure such as roads, schools and medical centres. Yay!
In the coastal communities where Plastic Bank operates, they’ve already removed 78.8 million kgs of plastic, reviving ecosystems and preventing plastics entering our foodchains.
Eden Reforestation Projects have planted and protected over 977 million trees and employ almost 15,000 people across ten countries.
Critically, we partner with these organisations because they actively monitor and publicly report on their progress – using satellite and drone imagery to track tree survival and growth, or a public blockchain to ensure traceability in plastic tonnage removal. Check out the links for more details.
When it comes to offsetting, We ONLY buy credits for Carbon Offset Projects that have been verified by the United Nations2 or Gold Standard3. Again, both these organisations are committed to transparency and traceability in their operating processes – baking trust into the system.
Right about now … Check it out now
When it comes to why we pick specific projects, again the deciding factor is, are they making an impact NOW?
Again, let’s bring it to life with an example.
Unlike some other providers who invest in developing technologies that may (or may not) capture carbon directly from the atmosphere at some point in the future, another difference with S2Z is that we put our money into offsetting projects that are reducing emissions right now.
How does that work?
Well, let's look at the United Nations Carbon Offset Platform (UNCOP). When you offset with S2Z, we might invest your money into buying credits from the UNCOP, which in turn will be invested into projects certified by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
These projects are implemented in developing countries around the world and are rewarded with Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) for each tonne of greenhouse gas they help either reduce, avoid or remove. The basic idea is that companies or individuals can compensate for their carbon footprint by supporting other communities who want to reduce their footprint … by financing their green projects.
What does that mean – right now?
So, in our case, whether renewable energy projects, household emissions solutions, or creative uses of biowaste – we’ve carefully selected the projects we fund to match our philosophy of immediate, practical and tangible emissions offsetting.
We are currently funding 12 renewable energy projects, 4 emissions reduction projects, and 1 clean water project. Visit our dedicated Projects Page to learn about each of our projects and what they are achieving.
Our mission is simple … supporting everyone – you, us, individuals, businesses small or huge, to get to Net Zero.
2 https://offset.climateneutralnow.org/
3 https://www.goldstandard.org/
