Companies of all sizes increasingly join the global climate efforts. Although green transformation is sometimes considered a costly move, it turns out to be more profitable than many would think.
The big players are already on the path to carbon neutrality. Apple uses renewable energy to power its data storage centres; Microsoft pledges to be carbon negative by 2030; Google will decarbonize its energy sources until the end of this decade. Increasingly, we can also spot carbon footprint information in the stores. Oda, the most popular online grocery shop in Norway, introduced climate receipts informing clients about the environmental cost of their shopping cart.
Can carbon labelling influence sales?
Yes – and a lot. Oda’s move made a tremendous impact on the shopping behaviour of its clients. Suddenly, low-carbon products’ sales skyrocketed, bringing previously unnoticed groceries, such as the good old lentil soup, to the top 10. According to the 2021 GreenPrint study, 77% of respondents are concerned about the environmental impact of products they buy. Consumers are eager to pay more for sustainable goods, but they find it difficult to distinguish such products from those harming the environment. As soon as they learn about their purchase’s carbon footprint, they are eager to reduce it. Oda empowered its clients by supporting them in choosing better for the environment. It brought a tremendous change!
As human beings, we naturally choose to do good
Simple information about the carbon footprint turns out to suffice to change our behaviour for the better. It also influences our shopping patterns. 88% of respondents of a 2018 survey said they seek brands’ support in making a positive difference. Regrettably, 43% said companies were making it hard for them. An excellent response to this issue is clear carbon labelling with a product’s carbon footprint.
Carbon-neutral or carbon-intensive? The customer’s choice is easy
The GreenPrint study proves that 75% of Millennials are ready to pay more for an ecofriendly product. Introducing products with a reduced carbon footprint may translate to a boost in sales. Oda’s lentil soup mentioned at the beginning is just as alluring as it used to be – the only improvement was an introduction of short information about how tiny the soup’s carbon footprint is. For the first time in decades, we are witnessing a positive revolution; the world finally focuses on sustainability.
Is it easy to turn products carbon-neutral?
You can seamlessly integrate a carbon reduction strategy into your business plan with a bit of help from professionals. TerGo is an international company with vast experience in product’s LCA calculations, carbon reduction plans and offsetting.
TerGo’s experts will quantify your product’s exact carbon footprint. This step is crucial for scheduling a thorough CO2 emissions reduction plan. A carefully planned CO2 mitigation strategy will save you money twice, first on production, then on offsetting.
There are several types of sequestration projects producing carbon offset credits. TerGo’s offset credits are sourced from projects that are up to three times more efficient than most: agroforestry. The company owns land in rural parts of Belize and runs an agroforestry program that restores biodiversity and supports the local community. Neutralizing your carbon footprint with TerGo has multiple social and environmental benefits. In addition to fair wages and free board and lodging for the farmers, TerGo gives all the harvest to the local community. If they decide to sell it, they keep 100% of the profit.
To sum up, there are only three steps: calculation, reduction and offsetting – you are only this far from increasing the sales of your products with clear carbon labelling.
Customer’s rising environmental awareness results in higher anticipations. Already 65% of Deloitte’s respondents want CEOs to reduce carbon emissions and address other societal issues in their business plan. Ignoring consumers’ expectations, you are walking on thin ice.
With TerGo, it pays to go green
You can read the company’s claim quite literally. In 2022, TerGo will release an app that will quantify and financially reward its users for reducing their carbon footprint in realtime. Visit www.tergo.io and sign up as a beta tester. Be the first one to know about the app launch!
