Our commitment of 1% for the Planet

Written by Rachael B. - July 12, 2018

This year, we became members of the global movement for change, 1% For the Planet. As we mentioned during Earth Month, we feel that taking care of our planet is a lifelong commitment, so while we love joining in with campaigns such as Earth Month and World Environment Day to raise wider awareness of environmental issues, we are always striving to do more, more often and have a wider, long-lasting positive impact. Joining 1% for the Planet is just one of the ways we can do this.

What is 1% for the Planet?

A global network of businesses, nonprofits and individuals working together for a healthy planet, 1% for the Planet has already given back more than $175 million towards environmental charities and nonprofits, with the aim of having a more positive impact on the planet. In their own words, 1% For the Planet…

“..brings dollars and doers together to accelerate smart environmental giving.”

How Does It Work..?

As members of 1% for the planet, we pledge to give 1% of our revenue to approved non-profit organisations focused on the environment. This money does not go via 1% for the planet, but directly to those non-profits we have chosen as our partners. In reality, we actually give more than 1% but the number is arbitrary – it’s a promise to donate this as a minimum amount each year, towards the future of our planet.

The foundation of the 1% for the Planet network is this member-nonprofit partnership, which encourages members to engage directly with their non-profit partners, providing financial donations, volunteer time, other in-kind donations and more, offering long-term support for these organisations to deliver greater impact.

Our non-profit partners

Choosing our non-profits was a no brainer, as we were already supporting several non-profit organisations because of the difference they are making. Our 1% for the Planet membership serves to make these partnerships more official.

B Lab

B Lab is the non-profit organisation that serves B Corporation, the global movement of people using business as a force for good. As a certified B Corporation, of course we pay our membership dues to B Lab, and also support fellow B Corporation certified organisations as part of this rapidly growing global community.

10:10 Climate Action

10:10 is a small, London-based charity that runs positive, practical projects with a focus on tackling climate change at local community level, which in turn acts as a catalyst for bigger changes.

We support 10:10 with a monthly donation, and are inspired by their positive outlook and passion for working together to get things done. Like us, they are passionate about renewable energy and have made a real difference at a local level, with their campaigns widely reported across the UK press.

Do Nation

We are big fans of fellow B Corporation Do Nation, whose whole purpose is to start a movement, getting people to change their behaviours towards a better world. We love Do Nation’s online pledging platform, which is not only easy to use but offers an easy way to get people to change their habits. Feel like it’s too hard to give up plastic all together, forever? With Do Nation, you can pledge to do so for just a short period. Powered by years of research around behaviour change, their platform encourages people to make small sustainable short-term changes, with many keeping their new habits for the long-term.

We also enjoy taking part in the campaigns that Do Nation runs, which encourage competition between fellow B Corporations. Last year we came a close second in the Do B Challenge, and this year we were excited to top the leaderboard in the B Corps World Environment Day challenge, which collectively saved more than 73,500 in C02 emissions – the equivalent of 2,131 car journeys from Bristol to Brighton!

Whether we join a competition or not, our team members often add pledges to hold themselves to account for making small changes to their lifestyles, and we’d encourage everyone to take a look at the Do Actions, and see what small changes you can make towards a more sustainable world.

SolarAid

Solar Aid is an international charity, dedicated to fighting poverty and climate change by providing access to solar lights in some of the most remote regions of Malawi, Uganda and Zambia through their social enterprise, SunnyMoney.

Every year, we donate a sum to SolarAid through a self-imposed carbon tax. Rather than carbon offsetting, which we believe is not enough, we calculate our annual emissions. Then, for every tonne of CO2 equivalent, we donate £30 to SolarAid, thus ensuring that our tax will go towards considerable emission reductions as well as improving the health and education of people in the most remote areas of Africa.

Surfers Against Sewage

We contribute to environmental charity Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) through their membership scheme, the 250 Club, which is a network of businesses passionate about protecting the UK’s coastal environment.

In the UK, SAS are leading the way in reducing the amount of plastic in the ocean through their beach cleans (which team members have attended to lend a practical hand!) and partnerships with companies like our client Ecover, with whom SAS teamed up to use the plastic collected to create Ecover’s Ocean Bottle.

What if we all gave 1%..?

In reality, we’re always thinking of ways to take better care of our planet – it’s embedded into everything we do as part of our philosophy. Being a member of 1% For the Planet, alongside being a certified B Corporation, is another reminder to keep track of how we’re doing, as well as connecting us to a global community of like-minded people and businesses who care deeply about making sure our impact on the world is a positive one. It’s also a way to let others know how easy it is to make that difference, together. If we all gave 1%, just imagine what difference would that make!

You don’t have to be a business to join 1% for the Planet, so if you’re moved to make a difference personally, as one of our friends was, they do have individual memberships where you can donate 1% of your salary. Find out more over at 1% for the planet.

Update: 23rd May 2022.
We’ve planted 44,732 trees so far!