Look for the Climate Neutral Certified Label
Fight climate change with your purchasing choices
This Earth Day, conscientious consumers will certainly notice a plethora of different certification labels related to the environmental, social, and ethical practices of the brands producing everything you buy. In 2019, we launched Climate Neutral Certified–a new label that signifies brands who have certified their net-zero carbon emissions. This spring we’re seeing more adoption of Climate Neutral practices than ever before. Over 230 brands, including many household names, have now achieved the label “Climate Neutral Certified.” Hundreds of others will join them in the coming months.
So what is Climate Neutral Certification, and what does it mean for you?
Climate Neutral is a nonprofit organization founded in 2019 with the mission to decrease global carbon emissions by getting brands to offset and reduce all of their carbon emissions, and giving consumers a trusted climate label. Together, these brands and consumers are working together to drive the world toward zero net emissions, which science says we need to achieve by 2050 in order to maintain a livable climate.
Climate Neutral Certified brands have offset over 700,000 tonnes of carbon emissions–that’s like taking over 150,000 cars off the road for a year. In addition to offsetting their carbon footprint, those brands have made plans to reduce their emissions through actions like transitioning their factories to clean energy.
How does Climate Neutral Certification Work?
To earn the Climate Neutral Certified label, brands must annually measure, offset and reduce their total carbon emissions from making products or services and providing them to customers. These emissions are caused by heating offices, manufacturing products, shipping parts, and countless other activities. We develop tools and standards to help companies measure their carbon emissions quickly and credibly.
Once they have measured their carbon footprints, brands must purchase high-quality carbon credits equivalent to a year’s worth of emissions. A carbon credit is a certificate generated when someone takes an action to eliminate a metric tonne of greenhouse gas emissions, such as reforestation initiatives or projects that replace fossil fuel energy with wind and solar. When carbon credits are purchased to zero-out a person or organization’s emissions, it’s called a carbon offset.
Carbon credits put money into real time climate change solutions, while we work to reduce our carbon emissions altogether. To this end, all Climate Neutral Certified brands must also create Reduction Action Plans to curtail their emissions over the next 12-18 months.
You can search a directory of all Climate Neutral Certified brands online, or look for the label when you buy anything from shoes to mattresses.
What brands are Climate Neutral Certified?
Climate Neutral Certified brands can be found in over a dozen industries. Whether you’re shopping for products or services, you can choose Climate Neutral options. Here are a few well-known examples:
Allbirds – joined Climate Neutral in 2019
This popular shoe company is on a mission to “prove that comfort, design and sustainability aren’t mutually exclusive by making premium footwear from renewable materials, designed for everyday life.” Allbirds has measured 7.6 kg of carbon emissions from making and delivering each pair of its shoes, and fully offsets all their products’ carbon footprints.
REI – joined Climate Neutral in 2020
As a cooperative committed to getting people to “opt outside,” REI has been publishing an annual stewardship report since 2006. This year, the report includes REI’s Climate Neutral certification, earned for measuring and offsetting 250,422 tonnes of CO2e. Climate Neutral is also included on REI’s list of Product Impact Standards.
Reformation – joined Climate Neutral in 2020
Founded in 2009, Reformation began by selling vintage clothing and, “quickly expanded into making our own stuff, with a focus on sustainability.” Not only has the company offset 28,745 tonnes of CO2, but they also track all their clothing’s environmental impact through an internal tool so you can see how much CO2, water, and waste their products use.
What can you do to help?
Businesses and consumers all have a part to play in stopping climate change. Together we can have a large impact. By using your dollars and voice, we hope to transform the way businesses operate. How can you encourage businesses to make the transition and take responsibility for their carbon emissions?
- Look for the Climate Neutral Certified label when you’re shopping for things.
- If your favorite brands are not Climate Neutral Certified, urge them to measure, offset, and reduce their emissions using the hashtag #beclimateneutral.
- Let your friends and family know about Climate Neutral.
- Talk to your friends and family about climate change. Your voice and choices will help the world accelerate along the path to net-zero emissions.