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The Impact Shop is now open

This one’s been a while in the works. After months of hard graft and fine tuning we couldn’t be more excited to announce that our new Impact Shop is launched and ready to use. 
The Impact Shop is our new store for positive climate impact, letting you fund climate solutions your way. The online storefront is based solely around impact. It allows you to quickly and easily make a purchase for the planet, and support whatever project means the most to you. 
Anyone with an Ecologi account can use the Impact Shop and no monthly subscription is needed for businesses.
<a href="https://ecologi.com/impact-shop" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Check out the Impact Shop</a> 🌿

The Impact Shop is totally flexible. With a wide range of projects to choose from, you can support what feels right for you and fund as little or as much as you like, anytime. And because all projects are carefully selected by our in-house climate impact specialists, you can be sure you&#8217;re making the maximum impact. If you’re proud of the impact you’re making and want to inspire others to do the same, you can also create your own impact profile to share your good work.
The Impact Shop works hand in hand with <a href="https://ecologi.com/business/zero" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ecologi Zero</a>, our free carbon footprinting tool for small and medium-sized enterprises. If you use Ecologi Zero to calculate your footprint, you can help mitigate your emissions by funding climate solutions through the Impact Shop as you go. In time, we’ll also be introducing the option to purchase carbon removal credits to account for your unavoidable emissions and support your net-zero journey. You can find out more about Ecologi Zero <a href="https://ecologi.com/articles/in-depth/zero-faqs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

We’ve got a wide variety of certified projects to choose from in the Impact Shop, with more coming soon. While the biggest impact you can make is to reduce your own emissions, these projects all provide complementary climate solutions to avoid greenhouse gas emissions, restore nature, and support local communities.

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At Ecologi, we firmly believe that trees are a little bit of magic and tree planting is an excellent way to restore the planet. In fact, we recently hit the milestone of funding over 50 million trees globally through our trusted reforestation partners. So it&#8217;s no surprise that we’ll have tree planting available on the Impact Shop so you can fund incredible reforestation projects too.
The trees you purchase will be planted across a range of amazing projects supported by Ecologi, providing vital habitat for biodiversity and supporting the lives of local people. We plant trees all around the world, from Scotland to Madagascar, Peru to Morocco, and Ecologi users can choose to plant trees in the UK, US or Australia specifically. Once you&#8217;ve purchased your trees, you’ll be able to head to your virtual forest to see your new tree tiles, which will give you more information about the reforestation projects and <a href="https://ecologi.com/articles/blog/get-to-know-our-reforestation-partners" target="_blank" rel="noopener">planting partners</a>. 
Responsible reforestation is incredibly important to us. We only plant ecologically-appropriate trees where they are needed most, and our partners coordinate with local communities to make sure they’re protected from outside threats (both natural and man made). Planting trees provides an incredible number of benefits for mitigating climate change and supporting human health. You can read more about our approach to <a href="https://ecologi.com/articles/in-depth/responsible-reforestation-faqs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">responsible reforestation on our blog</a>.

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Nature-based carbon avoidance projects prevent the degradation of natural habitats. By supporting nature-based projects, carbon is locked away and habitats vital to the survival of endangered species are protected. These projects could include forest protection, peatland protection or restoration projects, for example. Supporting the conservation of natural carbon stores <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-020-0491-z" target="_blank" rel="noopener">such as soil</a> is key to slowing climate change. 
Nature-based projects also improve quality of life for surrounding communities. By managing natural habitats in a sustainable way, these projects can introduce new streams of income for local people and fund a variety of additional education and healthcare projects.
The nature-based projects you can support via Ecologi are all certified by either the <a href="https://www.goldstandard.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gold Standard</a> or the <a href="https://verra.org/project/vcs-program/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Verified Carbon Standard</a> (VCS). Projects certified by VCS which bring significant co-benefits to the local people and nature are also certified by Verra’s <a href="https://verra.org/project/ccb-program/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Climate, Community and Biodiversity Standard</a> (CCBS) standard. On top of this, we only ever support projects that contribute to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, such as the <a href="https://ecologi.com/projects/preventing-deforestation-in-the-democratic-republic-of-congo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mai N&#8217;dombe REDD+ Project</a>, which is supporting no less than eight goals.

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The energy sector is a key contributor to climate change. Globally, <a href="https://www.bp.com/content/dam/bp/business-sites/en/global/corporate/pdfs/energy-economics/statistical-review/bp-stats-review-2022-full-report.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fossil fuels accounted for 82% of primary energy use</a> in 2021. The shift to renewable energy is one of the top solutions we have for tackling climate change as it provides a safe and clean source of power without the heavy emissions caused by fossil fuels. 
All renewable energy projects supported by Ecologi are of the highest quality and certified according to the <a href="https://www.goldstandard.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gold Standard</a> or the <a href="https://verra.org/project/vcs-program/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Verified Carbon Standard</a>. We only offer renewable energy projects that contribute to as many of the UN&#8217;s Sustainable Development Goals as possible, such as Good Jobs and Economic Growth, Innovation and Infrastructure, and of course Climate Action.
Renewable energy projects supported by Ecologi so far include wind, solar, waste biomass, landfill gas capture, and small hydropower projects. If you’re keen to support the spread of renewable energy across the planet, you can choose to fund carbon avoidance credits from renewable energy projects through the Impact Shop.

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Improving livelihoods through community-based projects may not seem like an obvious climate solution. But delivering clean water removes the need for boiling dirty water, saving on fuel and emissions. And providing efficient cookstoves reduces the amount of wood and charcoal burned for fuel, bringing down greenhouse gas emissions. 
On top of the environmental benefits, these projects directly improve people’s day-to-day lives. Some of these projects support no less than <a href="https://ecologi.com/projects/cookstoves-tanzania" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nine Sustainable Development goals</a>! If you want to take climate action while improving quality of life for the local people, then this project type is for you.
Keep in mind that, like all our carbon avoidance projects, the community-based projects we support are accredited by either the <a href="https://www.goldstandard.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gold Standard</a> or the <a href="https://verra.org/project/vcs-program/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Verified Carbon Standard</a>, so you can be confident that the projects you’re supporting are of the highest quality. But don’t just take our word for it, check out the linked project pages in the storefront, which go into great detail about each initiative and its credentials.

Getting started couldn’t be easier. Just visit our website and create a pay-as-you-go account, no monthly subscription is required. From there, you’ll be able to browse our storefront and buy impact at the click of a button. Once purchased, the impact will be added to your online profile, giving you an overview of all your climate action. 
We hope you find our Impact Shop enjoyable and rewarding to use. Keep an eye out for new projects coming soon, including marine, biochar and wildflowers projects.   
<a href="https://ecologi.com/impact-shop" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Check out the Impact Shop</a> 🌿

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Move for our planet

We&#8217;re asking our community to get out into nature this Earth Month and walk, cycle or swim for our planet.
One tree will be planted for everyone who signs up and logs an activity, so let&#8217;s get outside and get moving 🏃 🚴 🏊
👉 <a href="https://climategames.com/">Join the challenge</a>

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<h2>Climategames is leading the charge</h2>
<a href="https://ecologi.com/climategames">Climategames</a> is like Strava for sustainability. It was founded in 2021 to let those who enjoy an active lifestyle fight climate change in a way that’s fun, rewarding and healthy.
Thousands of people have already been inspired to take action in over 110 countries. By simply completing workouts, users can fund amazing projects like tree planting, carbon reduction and ocean plastic removal, while gaining rewards.
It’s good for the body and mind, and even better for the planet. Ecologi is proud to be the tree planting partner of Climategames.
👉 <a href="https://climategames.com/">Find out more</a>

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<h2>Move for our planet this Earth Month</h2>
Every ride, stride or stroke taken is another step on the journey to net-zero. Anyone can take part in this fitness challenge during Earth Month. Don’t worry how fast or far you go, it’s getting involved that counts. This is your chance to do some good, gain some wellness wins, and help us reach our goal of planting 500 trees per event.
<h3>To take part</h3>
<ol>
<li>Download the Climategames app via <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.competeimpossible">Google Play</a> or <a href="https://apps.apple.com/app/id1540091655">Apple Store</a></li>
<li>Search for <a href="https://climategames.com/link/fVdoi5Kt8kqsaX9w7">Ecologi</a> in the rewards section</li>
<li>Choose which kind of activity you’d like to do (walking, swimming or cycling)</li>
<li>Get moving, and be sure to track your activity via the app or your smartwatch</li>
</ol>

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Remember that for everyone that takes part during Earth Month, we’ll plant one tree! And for the person who tops the leaderboard in each event (walking, cycling, swimming) we will also gift a 500 tree bundle for your virtual forest. 🌱
👉 <a href="http://climategames.com">Get started</a>

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98% of SMEs see benefits to setting environmental targets

SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) make up 99% of the UK’s business population and contribute half of all business-driven carbon emissions in the UK. The untapped potential for climate action is huge! Even the smallest of actions could make a real difference when taken by thousands of SMEs acting together, whether it&#8217;s measuring emissions or switching to renewable energy.
But knowing where to start on the climate journey can be hard for SMEs, and creating a credible decarbonisation strategy takes time, knowledge, and resources. That’s why we launched our Climate Commitments Survey. 
We gathered insights from 1,000 UK SME owners and decision-makers to understand the challenges, opportunities and barriers they face in their journey to net-zero. The survey was carried out in January 2023 in conjunction with the <a href="https://www.british-business-bank.co.uk/">British Business Bank</a>, who advised on survey design, and research analysis and Market research agency <a href="https://onepoll.com/">OnePoll</a>.
<h3>Read the full report </h3>
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 📁 Download the PDF report <a href="https://cms-assets.offset.earth/app/uploads/20230328090053/Ecologi_BBB_Report_V6.pdf">here</a>

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<h3>SMEs are ready to do their bit for our planet  </h3>
Our survey found that SMEs are committed to doing more to protect the planet, and ready to reap the business benefits of doing so. Of those that had set environmental targets, almost all (98%) had experienced some business benefits. These range from improved brand image (43%), attracting more eco-conscious customers (38%), increased productivity and innovation (37%) and employee loyalty (34%), with over a third (31%) seeing increased revenue. Over three quarters (77%) of business leaders also agreed that having an environmental strategy is good for business.

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<h3>SMEs have some key barriers to overcome on their climate journey </h3>
Despite the commitment to do more, and the acknowledgement that sustainability is good for business, financial constraints (39%), time (27%), and a lack of business return (24%) are the biggest barriers SMEs face in taking climate action. Barriers like these are even harder to overcome during an economic downturn, but reassuringly, despite 25% saying the tough economic conditions are having a negative impact on their environmental commitments, only 3% plan to decrease investment in them.

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<h3>SMEs have the desire to get to get to net-zero, but need a little help</h3>
There is a clear desire to get started on the path to net-zero, and clearly many more SMEs would take action if it was more straightforward and accessible. More than four in 10 (41%) of SMEs said they would like their business to have a net-zero strategy, but feel confused about how to get started. It’s also encouraging to see that 80% of SMEs have either measured their carbon footprint or plan to in the near future, and that 52% would calculate their carbon footprint if it was free and straightforward to do. 
The desire is clearly there. Now we need to make sure SMEs have the tools and support they need to start their net-zero journey, particularly with corporate sustainability commitments coming under increasing scrutiny and tighter regulation around the corner.

<h3>SMEs can lead the sustainable revolution</h3>
While challenges remain, our survey found plenty of reasons to be hopeful. It’s clear to take action on the climate crisis, we need to make sure that every SME, no matter how small, has access to affordable and easy-to-use tools and solutions. From measuring their carbon footprint, to setting targets and reducing emissions, all the way through to funding the best in climate action projects on the planet.
At Ecologi, we’ve designed a suite of products and services, custom-made to help SMEs on their journey to net-zero: 
<a href="https://ecologi.com/business/zero">Ecologi Zero® </a>&#8211; The free and easy-to-use carbon footprinting tool for small and medium sized enterprises.
<a href="https://ecologi.com/business/climate-positive-workforce">Climate Positive Workforce®</a> &#8211; A simple but impactful way to offset your team&#8217;s emissions while funding climate solutions and planting a company forest. 
<a href="https://ecologi.com/business/impact-shop">The Impact Shop</a> &#8211; Browse and fund the very best climate solutions at the click of a button through our pay-as-you-go store for positive climate impact. 
<a href="https://ecologi.com/business/integrations">Ecommerce and integration</a> &#8211; Plant a tree for every sale, product or new team member with our Shopify, Zapier and API integrations.
You can access the full data set <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vSz3Pl5MG9hBGK4qc71FCE2iIHPF5aBbCERxhhXBDtuYsO7HBOwb51GWg_MlwF41Y7T419JxZpdk6aE/pubhtml" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>

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On the ground in Kenya with Eden Reforestation Projects

Nothing beats seeing our impact in real life. Since June 2021, we’ve been the sole funding partner of a project restoring a vast area of degraded forest in the hills of Western Kenya. It’s one of the largest projects we’ve supported to date, and in September 2022 we were lucky enough to visit the site, meet our tree planting partners from <a href="https://www.edenprojects.org/">Eden Reforestation Projects</a> face to face, and see all that amazing impact for ourselves.
<h3>A trusted partner </h3>
At Ecologi, we only work with reforestation partners who we trust to plant trees responsibly. So you can be sure that the money you contribute to these amazing projects will genuinely make a real difference in restoring forest ecosystems and supporting livelihoods.
We’ve now got <a href="https://ecologi.com/articles/blog/get-to-know-our-reforestation-partners">10 incredible reforestation partners</a>, who operate planting sites across 16 countries. It’s vital to us we partner with like-minded organisations who implement community-led projects that both enhance biodiversity and improve the lives of local people. So our partners go through a rigorous diligence process to check they’re the right fit. Once onboarded, we work closely with our partners to ensure that the projects we implement together are long-lasting and impactful. We cherish our relationships with our reforestation partners &#8211; after all, we couldn’t do this without them!

<h3>Our visit to Kenya </h3>
It’s hard to believe, but our trip to Kenya was the first time we’d visited an international planting site since we were founded in 2019. We wanted to go much sooner, but the complications and restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic meant that this was the first time we could make the trip safely. Still, better late than never, and the delays meant the team were absolutely raring to go when they set off to visit <a href="https://www.edenprojects.org/">Eden Reforestation Projects</a> in Kenya in September 2022. 
We set out to observe the project and see what was happening on the ground, and in doing so, evaluate its progress and success. It’s important to us we monitor and evaluate all the projects we support, to make sure that we’re funding the biggest impact possible in these beautiful ecosystems.

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To put it simply, we were absolutely blown away by what we saw and experienced. The sheer magnitude of area encompassed by the Kass FM project, which is fully funded by Ecologi, along with the warmth and spirit of the planting and nursery staff upon our arrival, was truly unforgettable.
Having spent so long working remotely, moments like these make it all worthwhile. Over the trip, our team on the ground visited the Kass FM planting site, as well as two nurseries where seedlings for the project are grown &#8211; Nkoben and Tendwet.

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Importantly, we got to meet and engage with local staff members, discussing everything from planting techniques and species variety, to how working for Eden has quite literally changed their lives. Connecting in person allowed us to learn more about their monitoring and evaluation processes too, and ultimately strengthened our relationship with an incredible planting partner.   
But don’t just take our word for it, check out the video below to get a glimpse of the impact our community is funding.
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The Impact Shop is now open

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Nature-based projects

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Join our Earth Month fitness challenge, in partnership with Climategames

Climate Commitments Survey: 98% of SMEs see benefits to setting environmental targets

On the ground in Kenya with Eden Reforestation Projects

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