Road Scholar and ClimeCo Celebrate Milestone This Plastic Free July!

1. Tell us about the vision that led to the establishment of ClimeCo and its mission.

ClimeCo started in 2009 with a simple goal—to reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) through scalable abatement projects that create value for our customers. Over the last 15 years, we have evolved to become the global decarbonization partner for a wide range of brands, from Lenovo, Hilton, and Hello Fresh to companies just starting their sustainability journey via our EcoCommitted Partner Program.  

2. Tell us about your environmental credit solutions.

ClimeCo’s roots started in the carbon market, developing and commercializing projects that generated high-quality industrial-based carbon credits, producing our first verified carbon credit in 2010 from a nitrous oxide (N2O) abatement project.  

And today, we are proud of our portfolio of high-integrity environmental credits (renewable energy, plastic removal, nature-based, industrial) that are helping to make a positive impact on global communities with economic and environmental resilience.  

As a trusted high-integrity environmental credit developer – we have a variety of credits from projects we have developed or invested in that give our clients options that will best fit their brand’s goals and budget. From large corporation reduction commitments to events, touring, sports, entertainment, and many others have turned to us to provide the credits needed to achieve regulatory compliance and voluntary reduction goals.   

Since starting the company in 2009, we have helped reduce over 40 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions through our various projects, which is comparable to taking over 9 million average passenger cars off the road for a year.   

3. Tell us about your Environmental Asset Innovation products.

One of the primary purposes of carbon markets, both voluntary and compliance, is to stimulate funding that finances decarbonization. When we talk about, ‘Environmental Asset Innovation,’ this means we are helping companies make sustainable solutions possible and economical for producers and consumers. This can come to life via a project we develop, such as the N2O abatement project I referenced earlier, or it could be a reforestation project, helping to replant trees in a local community; we also work with companies to navigate the carbon markets where they are supporting these climate-action projects and driving business value.  

4. Tell us about your certification programs.

This is a topic I’m personally passionate about. ClimeCo’s Certification Programs help businesses reach consumers — especially those consumers looking for sustainable projects — in an authentic way that is easily recognized, understood, and trusted. We offer different ways to demonstrate the business’s sustainability efforts – at the individual product level and at the company level. Our ClimeCo Certified Product™ Protocol thoroughly evaluates the product’s “cradle-to-grave” life cycle. We recently launched an engaging video that brings this concept to life: HERE. 

As part of this process, we also calculate the product’s carbon footprint value and implement measures to continually assess and reduce the footprint before mitigating those emissions. And our business certification program also has a similar thorough process to ensure the carbon footprint generated by regular business activities can be easily mitigated.      

5. Tell us about your digital integration solutions.

Something we pride ourselves on at ClimeCo is how we bring the intersection of sustainability and innovation to the forefront of our solutions. Digital Carbon Solutions is such a perfect example of this. To break this down a bit, think of this as flexible technology that empowers companies to seamlessly incorporate carbon offsetting into an existing user journey. For example, with Lenovo, we developed a Digital Carbon Solution directly into their user journey that enables customers to offset products and services, creating a fast, simple, and secure way to mitigate your environmental impact and appeal to environmentally conscious consumers. You can create new revenue streams with minimal effort and investment while empowering your customers to make sustainable choices. Check out our 'Insights for Impact' explainer video to learn more.   

6. Tell us about your initiatives for Plastic Free July.

Just in time for Plastic Free July, we, along with Road Scholar, the not-for-profit world leader in educational travel for adults, are celebrating the measurable impact of our partnership supporting TONTOTON plastic waste recovery projects in Vietnam and Cambodia. Since 2022, Road Scholar has partnered with us to fund the reclamation of 40 metric tonnes of plastic waste in Vietnam, equivalent to removing 2.6 million plastic water bottles. This plastic, which would otherwise pollute the ocean, is transformed into fuels and raw materials that replace coal at a local manufacturing facility, advancing both circular economy goals and climate resilience. 

More than 20 million tonnes of plastic waste end up in aquatic ecosystems every year,     which is equivalent to 2,000 garbage trucks full of plastic dumped into our rivers, lakes, and oceans daily.  

TONTOTON diverts orphan plastic from polluting rural coastal communities in Vietnam and Cambodia, improving the quality of life, public health, and economic opportunities from tourism and fishing. 

Beyond the circularity and positive environmental impact made by TONTOTON, the social and economic resilience impacts on the local communities are also notable – providing financial support to waste pickers and households, enabling them to collect non-recyclable plastic while improving their livelihoods. This project also offers continuing education, ethical working conditions, family support programs, and initiatives like house renovations for waste pickers. 

7. How can people reach you?

You can get more information on all of our services at https://www.climeco.com – plus, you can check out ESG Decoded  - a podcast powered by ClimeCo to share updates related to business innovation and sustainability in a clear and actionable manner.