Our 2021 sustainability pledge
We believe in a fairer, greener world. And while our values have always been centred on an ethical and sustainable approach we know that, like many businesses, we can do more.
That is why we have committed to eight priorities in 2021 to help our business have a more positive impact on the planet.
We will be providing updates on our progress every quarter, on our website and on our LinkedIn and Twitter pages.
Check out our plans below.
1.We will share our revenue
In Q1 of 2021, Balanced Impact will begin our business membership with 1% For The Planet, donating 1% of our gross sales each year to approved nonprofit partners that help protect our environment.
We believe in the 1% For The Planet’s idea that, because companies profit from the resources they take from the earth, they should help protect those resources too.
2. We will be accountable
By Q4 of 2021, we want to be B Corp certified. We are happy to hold ourselves accountable and to be accountable to others too.
“B Corporations are businesses that meet the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. B Corps are accelerating a global culture shift to redefine success in business and build a more inclusive and sustainable economy.”
3. We will consider our resources
We already use green energy companies to supply the energy in the buildings our core team members use as office spaces.
By Q3 of 2021, our promise is that we will also be using sustainable and ethical phone and broadband suppliers, business banking and insurance providers. We have taken out a subscription with Ethical Consumer and will use its wealth of resources to help inform our resource decisions.
We reuse and recycle, we consider our packaging and we operate a paperless office wherever possible.
We also promise to provide support for any new employees and team members, to switch to green energy suppliers and other more sustainable suppliers, should they wish to do so.
4. We will further reduce carbon producing travel
Covid19 has accelerated our plans to further reduce our business travel. All of our team now work from home and our plan is to continue this, beyond the restrictions brought by the pandemic.
We will avoid all non essential travel, walk or cycle for local travel and use public transport where there is a need to travel a greater distance.
All our employees will have access to the Bike to Work Scheme to support them with this pledge.
5. We will work for companies that share our values
From January 2021, we are actively marketing to those companies that share our values in order that we can be part of a greener and fairer supply chain.
We will never, ever, work for organisations whose actions have a negative impact on our world, or which do not meet our ethical standards, no matter how large the potential profits for us.
6. We will work for free, for those that need our help
We are currently part of a team of volunteer strategic advisors who support Brewgooder; the craft beer specialist that donate 100% of their profits to clean water projects.
Our promise is to commit to a minimum of two pro-bono projects a year, starting in 2021; each project will aim to have a positive impact on the community and planet.
Get in touch if you think that next project could be yours.
7. We will become a climate positive workforce
Because, whatever our efforts, we still rely on some of the world's resources to live our daily lives, we have committed as an organisation to be a climate positive workforce.
In practise, this means that from Q1 of 2021, we will work with Ecologi to plant 432 trees and remove 42 tonnes of CO2 from the world’s atmosphere. As our team grows, so will our forest.
8. We will support our team to be make small changes with big impacts
We gift all of our employees an annual subscription to Pawprint; the app which empowers people to fight climate change by measuring your carbon footprint and providing tips and support to reduce it.