21 Apr Zappos to Offset All Carbon Emissions from Corporate Air Travel in 2016
Zappos announced its commitment to the largest carbon offsetting program in the company’s history. Zappos’ corporate travel program will mitigate more than 6.8 million miles of company air travel in 2016 and beyond through a carbon offset purchase program. Zappos has partnered with Natural Capital Partners, formerly The CarbonNeutral Company, to sponsor forestry projects in Mississippi, Chile and Brazil.
“Face-to-face meetings, conferences and retail trade shows are essential to Zappos’ business. We want employees to keep traveling, but we also want to take responsibility for our carbon footprint,” said Mark Spencer, Head of Travel at Zappos. The Travel team has made carbon data from air travel readily available to employees since 2015.
Through Holacracy, a unique management system, employees from various departments and of all positions are able to self-organize and drive projects within the company. Members of the Travel, Sustainability and Brand Aura departments collaborated at Zappos to research and launch the carbon offsetting program. “I was really excited to work with colleagues from other departments who were equally passionate about conservation and the environment,” said Brad Tomm, Head of Sustainability.
The corporate travel carbon offset program is Zappos’ first large purchase of carbon offsets. The program supports three forestry projects including reforestation and avoided deforestation, protecting important carbon sinks as well as key areas of biodiversity in Mississippi, Chile and Brazil. Natural Capital Partners sourced each project, and continues to work with leading companies across the globe on carbon management and renewable energy programs.
“We are seeing more and more businesses wanting to lead the way in taking action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. By using carbon finance, not only is Zappos demonstrating a long term commitment to the sustainability of its business and meeting its reduction goals, but it is also delivering funds to these essential forest conservation projects around the world,” says Mark La Croix, Executive Vice-President, Natural Capital Partners.