Connect Earth’s mission is to help inspire climate conscious behaviour with carbon tracking technologies. Through our transparent API-based solutions we empower financial institutions, and their customers, in the transition to a low-carbon future through delivering carbon data insights and automating sustainability reporting. 

Google’s Startups for Sustainable Development program enables impactful startups in the private sector to achieve one or more sustainable development goals (SDGs). We at Connect Earth are thrilled to have been selected to be a part of Google’s SFSD program, joining a cohort of 300+ likeminded startups whose missions align with breaking down some of the biggest barriers to sustainable development; including, poverty, responsible consumption and production, climate action and affordable, clean energy.

Given our mission to promote sustainability knowledge, to empower individuals with carbon footprint data, and to enable SMEs and financial institutions to make environmentally-conscious choices, the program fits perfectly with our goals, as well as our wider sustainability strategy. For a comprehensive understanding of our aims and perspectives on sustainability and social impact causes, we invite you to explore our website, where you can find our complete list of policies, including the one focused on our environmental impact.

We take pride in taking the initial steps towards achieving SDG 12 and 13, in collaboration with Google’s Startups for Sustainable Development program. 

SDG 12 outlines the responsible production and consumption of materials and enforces improvements in resource efficiency, consideration of the entire life cycle of economic activities, and active engagement in environmental agreements. Some of its key focuses are:

• Gaining a comprehensive picture of the environmental and social ramifications of our products and services, encompassing their life cycles and the influence they have.

• Identifying “hot spots” within our value chain where interventions have the greatest potential to improve the environmental and social impact of our system.

Whilst SDG 13 encompass taking action against all forms of climate change and has specific targets associated with it, including:

• Integrating climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning.
• Improving education, awareness and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning.

This partnership grants us access to dedicated success managers and advisors, who will provide us with training and coaching to reach our SDG goal. The program’s specialised knowledge will facilitate growth in our API solutions whilst opening doors to new opportunities in spreading carbon data knowledge and impactful climate technology. This invaluable support includes 1-1 sessions, assistance in growth, funding, and leadership training. With access to a collaborative community of social impact partners and investors curated by Google we will foster knowledge-sharing on all 17 UN sustainable development goals.

“With Google’s support, we have achieved significant strides in generating a positive impact through our business initiatives. Financial institutions, climate tech companies, and other organisations that partner with us have a remarkable opportunity to provide their customers with sustainability features and recommendations, all while actively supporting the SDGs,” Loris Moretto, Sustainability and Stakeholder Manager

Understanding our impact and driving sustainability

As part of the program we have selected areas of focus to ensure the success of our SDG and reach of our mission. These cover driving climate education and action, empowering sustainable practices and mitigating risk and enhancing ESG. These areas are influenced and fuelled by our core missions and values; and with the release of our Net Zero plan being made public, our ambition to positively impact the world is stronger than ever.

Through delivering on these areas of impact we hope to:

• Provide our customers with access to technology that enables greater accessibility to sustainability as a service.
• Empower society with increased knowledge of carbon literacy and awareness of sustainable lifestyle choices.
• Offer SMEs carbon accounting services and tools to support them on their Net Zero journey.
• Contribute to environmental preservation by reducing CO2e emissions.
• Assist businesses and banks in mitigating risks associated with environmental legislation.

As of June 2023 we’ve processed over 700 million transactions through our API, estimating carbon emissions and driving significant customer environmental awareness in the financial sector. Our APIs have also enabled businesses to report on all three scope emissions, unlocking a more transparent view of their carbon footprints. While celebrating these notable accomplishments, we are eager to assess the influence on our network and explore other avenues to promote sustainability. Our focus is on understanding the tangible outcomes and effects of our efforts; enabling us to develop approaches that advance sustainability even further. 

We are honoured to be part of Google’s Startups for Sustainable Development program, eagerly anticipating insights from fellow likeminded startups, and Google itself. Read our Net Zero Plan for a more indepth look at our sustainability strategy and follow us on LinkedIn for updates on our journey towards achieving SDG 12 and 13.