Blog

blog_reforestation_partners_header_01

Blog_Reforestation_Partners_Header_01

blog_reforestation_partners_logos_01-1

Blog_Reforestation_Partners_Logos_01 (1)

blog_reforestation_partners_logos_02-1

Blog_Reforestation_Partners_Logos_02 (1)

With Ecologi, you can support a wide range of forest restoration projects across the globe, which are operated by our wonderful forest restoration partners.
We thought we’d take some time to celebrate our supported reforestation projects and partners, and the incredible milestones we are achieving together through collective action.
To stay up to date with all of our supported projects, why not follow us on <a href="https://twitter.com/Ecologi_hq" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://instagram.com/ecologi_hq" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EcologiHQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/ecologihq/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LinkedIn</a>.

blog_reforestation_partners_banner_03

Blog_Reforestation_Partners_Banner_03

We’ve been working with <a href="https://www.edenprojects.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eden Reforestation Projects</a> (Eden) since the very early days of Ecologi. We’re proud to be an Ecosystem Partner of Eden, and we’ve supported several of their reforestation projects over the last couple of years. To date, they have planted over 830 million trees across 249 project sites!
Eden use an <a href="https://www.edenprojects.org/stories/employ-to-plant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“Employ to Plant&#8221; methodology</a>, which has had great success in their projects <a href="https://www.edenprojects.org/our-work" target="_blank" rel="noopener">all over the world</a>. Using this methodology, Eden are able to help alleviate extreme poverty by paying local people a fair wage to plant trees and manage the nurseries. This consistent income is vital for families, helping them to afford nutritious food, send children to school, and even start their own businesses to become more economically independent.
Eden has project sites in many different countries, and so far Ecologi has supported projects in Madagascar, Mozambique, Nicaragua, and Kenya. Across these sites, almost 600 people have been employed by Eden, giving them and their families a much-needed consistent source of income with which to improve their lives. Across all their sites, Eden has employed over 11,500 people!
A great benefit of Eden’s projects being community-led is that the local people are interested and involved in the projects, and therefore want to look after the trees they plant. This is a key element of Eden’s projects’ success &#8211; the trees are valued by the local communities, and are therefore safe from threats of deforestation that occurs in other parts of the world.

blog_reforestation_partners_gallery_subbanner_eden_mangroves_01

Blog_Reforestation_Partners_Gallery_SubBanner_Eden_Mangroves_01

By planting a mix of native tree species on a huge scale, Eden’s reforestation projects are able to rapidly transform landscapes as well as communities. In Madagascar we’ve already seen some amazing progress as the mangrove trees begin to grow, restoring the mangrove forests that were once there.
The trees that are planted are also often by Forest Guards, who are employed by Eden, to ensure they grow safely. Creating healthy habitats helps to support local biodiversity. The trees can be a source of shelter and food for a wide range of animals, and native plant species have a chance to recolonise areas where they used to be found, further enriching the biodiversity of the area.

blog_reforestation_partners_banner_01

Blog_Reforestation_Partners_Banner_01

<a href="https://thefutureforestcompany.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Future Forest Company</a> (FFC) restores degraded land through reforestation, natural regeneration, and regenerative agriculture practices. A key component of this approach is planting lots of native trees on land where trees were once removed to make way for farming.
Ecologi currently supports a handful of the sites managed by FFC: Brodoclea, Brisbane Mains, and Glenaros on the Isle of Mull.
As well as forest restoration, FFC are conducting research on carbon removal, including biochar and enhanced weathering. Staff working on the Glenaros estate are accelerating their work on the biochar project after receiving an Innovate UK grant. Biochar, a substance similar to charcoal, is created by burning plant matter in the absence of oxygen in a process called pyrolysis. This process removes carbon from the atmosphere, storing it in the biochar where it can be locked away for hundreds of years. Together with enhanced weathering, another carbon removal method, FFC are able to remove ten times the amount of carbon from the atmosphere, per hectare of land, than just tree-planting on its own.

blog_reforestation_partners_gallery_subbanner_ffc_brisbanemains_01

Blog_Reforestation_Partners_Gallery_SubBanner_FFC_BrisbaneMains_01

In Brodoclea, the saplings that were planted in 2020 are all healthy and growing well! These survived the harsh winter, throughout which planting of new trees continued. Wildlife is also happy and healthy on all the sites, with wildflowers in full bloom throughout the summer and 200 woolly pigs warm in their shelters during the winter. Along with the grazing of the sheep and Highland cows on the Glenaros site, these animals <a href="https://www.drawdown.org/solutions/managed-grazing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">are helping to trap more carbon in the soils</a> and encourage greater levels of biodiversity.

blog_reforestation_partners_banner_gfg

Blog_Reforestation_Partners_Banner_GFG

<a href="https://www.globalforestgeneration.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Global Forest Generation</a> (GFG) was founded in 2018 by seasoned conservationists and is a non-profit organisation that’s dedicated to protecting and restoring forest ecosystems across South America. It achieves this aim by building large-scale, multi-country forest ecosystem initiatives with grassroots leaders and communities, and equips them with the resources, capacities and partnerships needed to sustain and scale their impact over time. 
GFG regards the lack of ecosystem restoration capacity and leadership on the ground as the most significant obstacle to achieving global climate, conservation and sustainable development targets through nature-based solutions (see their 2022 report <a href="https://assets.speakcdn.com/assets/2645/2022-05-_gfg_final_report_to_all_supporters.pdf">here</a>). As a result, GFG prioritises the importance of long-term, high-quality projects through holistic initiatives such as Acción Andina.
Acción Andina, is a GFG-led initiative involving multi-stakeholder engagement to restore critically important native ecosystems in South America. To date, 3.7 million native trees have been planted across five countries (Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile) through this initiative. Dozens of local communities have been involved, helping to ensure the restoration and protection of native ecosystems for generations to come.

blog_reforestation_partners_gallery_subbanner_gfg

Blog_Reforestation_Partners_Gallery_SubBanner_GFG

The reforestation projects we support through GFG are part of a project currently spanning 5 countries in South America (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, and Peru) called Acción Andina, which is restoring the high-Andean forest ecosystem of Polylepis forests. Ecologi will be funding the planting of 300,000 trees in four South American countries in the Andes mountains over the next 2 years. These trees will be planted across 16 different project sites, three in <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/projects/restoring-andean-forests-argentina">Argentina</a>, two in <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/projects/restoring-andean-forests-in-bolivia">Bolivia</a>, five in <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/projects/restoring-andean-forests-in-ecuador">Ecuador</a>, and six in <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/projects/restoring-andean-forests-in-peru">Peru</a>.
Acción Andina delivers on a range of national and international climate, conservation, restoration and sustainable development priorities. Through this initiative, GFG  engages with and supports developing partnerships with local, provincial and national government institutions, universities, private sector organisations, regional and international donors, and strategic partners to scale impact and results.

blog_reforestation_partners_banner_haf

Blog_Reforestation_Partners_Banner_HAF

<a href="https://highatlasfoundation.org/">High Atlas Foundation</a> (HAF) is a Moroccan association and a U.S. 501(c)(3) non-profit organisation founded in 2000 by former Peace Corps Volunteers committed to furthering sustainable development. HAF supports Moroccan communities to take action in implementing human development initiatives. HAF promotes organic agriculture, women’s empowerment, youth development, education, and health. 
It’s imperative to us that we partner with organisations that promote inclusion and gender equality, which are at the core of HAF’s business model. Their participatory approach to projects begins with dialogue including all community members from a range of age, gender, education, income, land ownership, religious, and ethnic groups representative of the project location.

blog_reforestation_partners_gallery_subbanner_haf

Blog_Reforestation_Partners_Gallery_SubBanner_HAF

We’re currently supporting one of HAF’s projects in Ouezzane, Morocco. In rural Morocco, traditional gendered divisions of production also extend to natural resource management. Women are often the main food and water collectors while men often control land access. However, HAF has had important success at building the abilities of women’s and girls’ cooperatives in maintaining nurseries, value-adding activities, and exporting products. A foundation for success is the HAF rights-based Imagine Empowerment Workshops, which build vision and confidence and provide the platform for increasing self-reliance. Women (18+) and girls (14-18) participate in four-day, 32-hour, rights-based workshops (with structured activities following an established curriculum) which trained HAF staff facilitate.

blog_reforestation_partners_banner_het

Blog_Reforestation_Partners_Banner_HET

<a href="https://www.hommesetterre.com/">Hommes et Terre</a> (H&amp;T) is a private social profit company whose mission is to develop and execute large-scale reforestation and land management programs, to guarantee local people long-term access to sufficient fertile land. 
H&amp;T’s strategy is based on a win-win business partnership with local communities, which helps improve the long-term protection of the forest by instilling a sense of pride in, and fostering a deep understanding of the value of, the trees among local people. By signing a 30-year partnership agreement with the partner village, which is validated and co-signed by the local authorities in accordance with local land registry laws, H&amp;T ensures that the land and the project is protected from damage from external parties who may wish to exploit the site for commercial purposes, but the local community remains the owner of the land. The people in the partner village involved in the project are paid by H&amp;T for a variety of services, including seed collection, monitoring activities, and surveillance.

blog_reforestation_partners_gallery_subbanner_het

Blog_Reforestation_Partners_Gallery_SubBanner_HET

The supported project will be located in the Tambacounda region of Senegal, in the commune of Goudiry. This location is close to 20 existing partner villages of H&amp;T in the Bakel and Goudiry regions &#8211; the team know the area very well and are experienced in working with local people in this location. In total, 250 hectares of degraded land will be restored by this project through 375,000 trees being planted, consisting of at least 10 different species chosen by the community.

blog_reforestation_partners_banner_iniciativaverde

Blog_Reforestation_Partners_Banner_IniciativaVerde

Iniciativa Verde is a non-profit organisation based in São Paulo, Brazil and has been operating since 2005. The NGO operates as a multidisciplinary project developer, promoting sustainable rural development, mitigation to climate change and improvement of environmental services. 
Iniciativa Verde’s projects are all developed in partnership with other local third-sector institutions, teaching and research institutions, and local governments and organisations in an effort to strengthen the longevity of their sustainability initiatives.

blog_reforestation_partners_gallery_subbanner_iniciativaverde

Blog_Reforestation_Partners_Gallery_SubBanner_IniciativaVerde

Ecologi has partnered with Iniciativa Verde to restore a 12-hectare area within the campus of the Federal University of Itajubá, in Minas Gerais. The project actively contributes to the recovery of the Atlantic Forest, which has undergone massive human-induced degradation due to urbanisation and agricultural expansion.

blog_reforestation_partners_banner_itf

Blog_Reforestation_Partners_Banner_ITF

<a href="https://www.internationaltreefoundation.org/">International Tree Foundation</a> (ITF) is an environmental organisation, founded in Kenya in 1922, that is dedicated to planting and growing trees, restoring and conserving forests, and strengthening community and ecosystem resilience. 
What makes ITF unique is their commitment to forest stewardship. Key to ITF’s operation is their commitment to capacity-building within local communities to optimise forest planting and conservation efforts, and to improve livelihoods within the local community. Gender empowerment and education are also core elements of their community engagement.
ITF works in partnership with the <a href="http://www.kenyaforestservice.org/">Kenya Forest Service</a>, <a href="http://kefri/">Kenya Forest &amp; Research Institute </a>and with Community Forest Associations to ensure that all planting is appropriate for local ecology, as well as working with their long-standing partner <a href="https://www.bgci.org/">Botanic Gardens Conservation International</a>.

blog_reforestation_partners_gallery_subbanner_itf

Blog_Reforestation_Partners_Gallery_SubBanner_ITF

We’re currently supporting a project site in Dundori, in Nakuru County. The aim of the Dundori project is to restore 200 hectares of highly degraded forests through sustainable, community-led reforestation. Additionally, the project will involve planting of trees in schools, engaging young environmental stewards in forest and school-based tree growing in 15 learning institutions. 
The project will also integrate and mainstream the conservation of four threatened tree species (Ocotea kenyensis, Polyscias kikuyuensis, Prunus africana and Vangueria gillettii (<a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/">IUCN Red list of 2020</a>)) in Nakuru County.

blog_reforestation_partners_banner_05

Blog_Reforestation_Partners_Banner_05

<a href="https://onetreeplanted.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">One Tree Planted</a> (OTP) began their amazing work in 2014 and have now planted over 40 million trees in over 43 countries. Currently, Ecologi’s community supports projects in two of these countries: the USA and Australia. Ecologi subscribers in those countries can choose to add the planting of a local tree to their monthly subscription. Soon, all members of the Ecologi community will be able to fund tree planting in these projects too, through the new Impact Shop!

blog_reforestation_partners_gallery_subbanner_onetreeplanted_aus_01

Blog_Reforestation_Partners_Gallery_SubBanner_OneTreePlanted_Aus_01

OTP’s projects are grounded in <a href="https://onetreeplanted.org/pages/why-trees" target="_blank" rel="noopener">six key benefits of planting trees</a> &#8211; cleaner air, better access to clean water, increased biodiversity, providing job opportunities and supporting livelihoods, improving health, and helping to fight climate change.
Working with more than 260 local reforestation partners, OTP engages local communities in the projects. Local people volunteer to help plant the trees &#8211; below are photos from a volunteer planting day in one of the projects in Australia that the Ecologi community supports.

blog_reforestation_partners_banner_02

Blog_Reforestation_Partners_Banner_02

Another reforestation partner we work with in the UK are <a href="https://www.protect.earth" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Protect Earth</a>, a charity planting trees on private land in England and Wales. Protect Earth works with landowners who understand the benefits of having more trees on their land, and carry out the reforestation work. Through reforestation, landowners are able to boost biodiversity (including insect populations that help pollinate crops), create windbreaks to protect crops and buildings from strong winds, and reduce flooding to maximise the productivity of the land.
Protect Earth works with volunteers to plant trees, and often the Ecologi team joins the team to get our hands dirty too! Volunteers are always appreciated, so all members of the Ecologi community are encouraged to take a look at <a href="https://www.protect.earth/events" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Protect Earth’s website</a> to find out about volunteering opportunities.

blog_reforestation_partners_gallery_subbanner_protectearth_radstock_01

Blog_Reforestation_Partners_Gallery_SubBanner_ProtectEarth_Radstock_01

The Ecologi community has supported tree planting at lots of sites across England and Wales, including <a href="https://www.protect.earth/projects/pantpurlais" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pantpurlais Farm</a> in Wales, <a href="https://www.protect.earth/projects/donkeywell-farm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donkeywell</a> and <a href="https://www.protect.earth/projects/lower-hampen-farm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lower Hampen</a> farms in Gloucestershire, <a href="https://www.protect.earth/projects/dyrham" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dyrham</a> in South Gloucestershire, and <a href="https://www.protect.earth/projects/howard-court" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Howard Court</a> in North Yorkshire.

blog_reforestation_partners_banner_04

Blog_Reforestation_Partners_Banner_04

Over the last 30 years, <a href="https://trees.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trees for the Future</a> have worked with farmers across 9 countries, proving that agroforestry can be a great solution to some of the challenges faced by countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. We currently support their work in the Mount Elgon region of Eastern Uganda.
Trees for the Future have been able to end hunger and poverty in their focus areas by restoring land through tree planting. They use their tried-and-tested &#8216;Forest Garden&#8217; programme to identify farmers working in areas with severely degraded land, and help them to plant and care for their own ‘Forest Gardens’. As a result, farming families gain a stable income, help restore biodiversity and the ecosystem by stabilising the soil, increasing the nutrient content of the soil, and increasing the water content of the soil too. The land becomes much more productive, enabling families to not only feed themselves, but also make bigger profits on their crops, helping them to support themselves financially.
A key component of the success of Forest Gardens is teaching farmers how to farm their land more productively. Many farmers rely on one or two crops for their income before they start working with Trees for the Future. Not only does this benefit the farmers, enabling them to provide their families and communities with a more varied and nutritious diet, but it also benefits local biodiversity.

blog_reforestation_partners_gallery_subbanner_treesforthefuture_forestgarden_01

Blog_Reforestation_Partners_Gallery_SubBanner_TreesForTheFuture_ForestGarden_01

Trees for the Future have planted over 225 million trees so far, positively impacting the lives of over 300,000 people. This amazing feat has resulted in a 706% increase in access to nutrition for participants in the Forest Garden programs and their families after three years in the four-year program.
As of 1st November 2021, 391 farmers were involved in the project the Ecologi community is supporting, with 2,898 people indirectly benefiting from the project. Our community will be funding the planting of about 1.6 million trees at this site in Eastern Uganda.

blog_reforestation_partners_banner_weforest

Blog_Reforestation_Partners_Banner_WeForest

Established in 2010, <a href="https://www.weforest.org/">WeForest</a> develops holistic and multi-stakeholder reforestation projects through a Forest and Landscape Restoration approach. Their vision is of a world where communities and nature sustainably thrive together to stop global warming ‘in our lifetime’. 
Their mission is focused on conserving and restoring the ecological integrity of forest landscapes with local communities to deliver lasting solutions for climate, nature, and people. Today, they have nearly 50,000 hectares under restoration across 3 continents; and aim by 2025 to reach a total of 100,000 hectares restored and 100 million trees planted.

blog_reforestation_partners_gallery_subbanner_weforest

Blog_Reforestation_Partners_Gallery_SubBanner_WeForest

The reforestation project we support is managed by the team at WeForest Ethiopia, and led by Dr. Aklilu Mekuria &#8211; one of WeForest’s longest serving team members, whose bioscience engineering and field experience sees him lead the landscape restoration and planting projects in Ethiopia. The project aims to restore 10,000 hectares of degraded land in the Amhara region of Ethiopia by supporting the introduction of 11.9 million trees, in collaboration with <a href="https://thp.org/">The Hunger Project</a>.

<a href="https://x.ecologi.com/plan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sign up</a> to Ecologi today to help fund these amazing projects all around the world.

blog_meet_climate_impact_team_header

Blog_Meet_Climate_Impact_Team_Header

Meet our Impact Team

Ecologi’s mission is to inspire and empower businesses to accelerate global climate action. In everything we do, we’re guided by our company values:
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Planet first</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Always accountable</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Change-makers</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Act, together.</li>
</ol>
Because of our values, we put impact for our climate, nature and people, right at our heart: and this is driven by our Impact Team.

<h2>Meeting the Impact Team </h2>
The Impact Team is responsible for directing our efforts toward meaningful climate action aligned with the latest science and industry best practice. The team’s role encompasses several key areas, including:
<ul>
<li>Ensuring adherence to best practice through our research bases, rigorous due diligence processes, and expert understanding of key sustainability frameworks.</li>
<li>Building and managing relationships with some of the world’s leading implementation partners to facilitate the delivery of high-impact climate solutions.</li>
<li>Delivery of emissions measurement and reporting projects, assisting customers with data collection, emissions calculations, and helping them identify effective decarbonisation strategies.</li>
<li>Engaging with academia, including the stewardship of the Ecologi Climate Committee — our advisory network of academic and industry experts on topics relevant to our work.</li>
<li>Providing climate and sustainability expertise and strategic guidance to align our products and services with the latest in environmental science and industry best practices and to guide our internal policy.</li>
<li>Driving our industry forward through participating in industry advisory groups, policy advocacy groups, consortia and alliances with Ecologi’s peers and partners in corporate sustainability, </li>
<li style="list-style-type: none;"></li>
</ul>
In this article, we’ll meet the team making it all possible!

blog_meet_climate_impact_team_banner_sam_01

Blog_Meet_Climate_Impact_Team_Banner_Sam_01

<h2>Sam Jackson, Director of Climate Science &amp; Impact</h2>
MSc, MA, PIEMA REnvP, FRSA
Sam is department lead for Impact at Ecologi, and a member of Ecologi’s senior leadership team. He is responsible for providing climate and sustainability expertise and strategic guidance to the business, with the priority of aligning Ecologi’s products and services with the latest in environmental science and industry best practice. Sam is an advisor to a number of industry groups and a regular speaker at sustainability industry events.
Sam has a varied background in climate science, international operations, development, and environmental governance. In his early career, he worked primarily in the charity and sustainable tourism sectors before moving permanently into climate and corporate sustainability. Sam holds Master’s degrees in International Relations and Climate Change Science and Policy from the University of Exeter and the University of Bristol. He is a Practitioner Member of IEMA, a Registered Environmental Practitioner with the Society for the Environment, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

blog_meet_climate_impact_team_banner_eleanor_03

Blog_Meet_Climate_Impact_Team_Banner_Eleanor_03

<h2>Eleanor Turner, Climate Solutions Manager</h2>
MSc, BSc, PIEMA 
Eleanor has a senior role within the Impact team, helping to guide our strategic direction and shape our theory of change, as well as supporting the team across all Impact functions. Eleanor leads much of our external engagement with academia, including managing the Ecologi Climate Committee: our advisory network of academic and industry experts across a wide range of topics relevant to our work. She also works cross-functionally around the business, to drive much of Ecologi’s own internal sustainability efforts.
Eleanor holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Science from the University of York, in addition to a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Geography. Eleanor’s career began as a sustainability consultant within the engineering and construction industry, focusing on BREEAM assessments and decarbonisation across the public sector. Eleanor then moved to an in-house sustainability role within the consumer goods industry, focused on internal sustainability strategy and greenhouse gas inventory management, before joining Ecologi as our Climate Solutions Manager.

blog_meet_climate_impact_team_banner_george_04

Blog_Meet_Climate_Impact_Team_Banner_George_04

<h2>George Gibson, Senior Carbon Accounting Manager</h2>
George provides technical expertise to support the development of the carbon accounting methodology underpinning our Ecologi Zero platform for businesses. George also leads the consultative delivery of emissions measurement and reporting projects with our customers, guiding them through data collection and helping them to identify decarbonisation strategies. Key to his role is ensuring compliance with the relevant standards and that the tool provides a comprehensive and accurate account of a business’ emissions.
With a degree in Economics and Management from Cardiff University, specialising in economic development, George has previously worked as a sustainability consultant providing insight into compiling greenhouse gas inventories to measure and report emissions, developing decarbonisation strategies, setting Science-Based Targets and supporting businesses in attaining B Corp certification.

blog_meet_climate_impact_team_banner_katie_02

Blog_Meet_Climate_Impact_Team_Banner_Katie_02

<h2>Katie Pownall, Impact Partnerships Manager</h2>
MBiol, MRSB, ACIEEM
Katie works closely with Ecologi’s reforestation and other implementation partners, ensuring that funding from our community goes to the best projects, and sharing stories about the projects with the Ecologi community. As Ecologi continues to grow, Katie is helping to identify new types of impact projects, enabling Ecologi customers to fund cutting-edge climate action with some of the most well-respected organisations around the world.
Katie has a Master’s degree in Biology from University of York, where she focused on ecology and conservation, and during which she worked in the North York Moors National Park’s Conservation department, where she gained knowledge about protected species, habitat management, and on-the-ground conservation work. This  hands-on experience combined with her understanding of the theory of conservation and ecology helps Katie to guide Ecologi’s decisions so that we optimise our positive impact on people, biodiversity, and the planet.

blog_meet_climate_impact_team_banner_lucy_05

Blog_Meet_Climate_Impact_Team_Banner_Lucy_05

<h2>Lucy Gemmell, Carbon Portfolio Manager</h2>
In her role as Carbon Portfolio Manager, Lucy drives our in-house due diligence to identify top-tier carbon avoidance and removal projects, manages our relationships with project developers, and helps to educate customers in ensuring they are communicating about their impact correctly. In her work, she manages our relationships with a number of our key strategic impact partners including Sylvera and Earth Blox. Lucy originally joined Ecologi in 2022 as part of our Commercial team and spent a year working cross-departmentally, immersing herself in the voluntary carbon market before transitioning permanently into the Impact team. 
Lucy has a diverse background, having managed a boutique real estate brokerage in her earlier career and chaired the board of an education-based NGO in Johannesburg, South Africa. She is currently pursuing a Master&#8217;s degree in Climate Change and Development, following the recent completion of an ESG Specialisation from the Corporate Finance Institute.

Alongside the Impact team, we have some incredible individuals who assist us in reaching our goals and supporting our work. Collaboration is at the heart of everything we do, and their contributions help us stay on track and maintain momentum.

blog_meet_climate_impact_team_banner_monsoon_06

Blog_Meet_Climate_Impact_Team_Banner_Monsoon_06

<h2>Monsoon Modi, Commercial Operations Executive</h2>
Monsoon originally joined Ecologi in 2022 as part of our Customer Success team and spent a year working cross-departmentally before moving into the Commercial team, now as an Operations Executive. 
Key to her role is optimising commercial projects, building commercial resources and providing support for small businesses along their sustainability journey. Monsoon also supports the Impact Team with internal educational material, project reports and administrative tasks. 
With a degree in Politics and International Relations, Monsoon is currently pursuing a Master&#8217;s degree in Environmental Sustainability at the University of Edinburgh.

<h2>Climate Committee </h2>
Ecologi’s Climate Committee was founded in 2021 to bring together industry experts and research professionals who sit outside of the business to bring specialist knowledge and support to maximise our climate impact. Our committee members bring best-practice thinking, and ongoing developments with regard to global climate science, carbon accounting methodology, nature-based projects and the voluntary carbon market through our three working groups, Nature, Climate and Policy.
The committee supports the Impact team through providing expert knowledge across specialist fields which help shape the future of the team, and the wider business. In turn, this improves our internal decision-making and strategy development through staying at the forefront of industry developments and innovation.

Schedule a call

Case studies

blog_case_study_focusrite_01blog_case_study_focusrite_header

Blog_Case_Study_Focusrite_01Blog_Case_Study_Focusrite_Header

Case study: the Focusrite Group

<h2>About the Focusrite Group </h2>
<a href="https://x.ecologi.com/focusritegroup" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Focusrite</a> is not your average audio technology group. This passionate bunch is united by a single objective: to smash through barriers and unleash boundless creativity in the world of sound.
Founded in 1985 and based in High Wycombe, this team of over 500 is on a mission to remove barriers to creativity. And they believe that technology can play an important role in breaking down other barriers too, including geographical, social, economic, and even environmental. 
Focusrite is an organisation that’s driven by purpose, with a keen desire to be a force for good in the world. Responsible practices are an essential part of how they do business, and that includes keeping a keen eye on their impact on the environment.

blog_case_study_focusrite_banner_stats-2

Blog_Case_Study_Focusrite_Banner_Stats (2)

<h2>Issue</h2>
Focusrite has been working to reduce its environmental impact for many years and in 2020 developed a carbon accounting process that now provides near real-time data on Scope 1, 2, and 3 GHG emissions.
This progress has allowed the team to set goals, but they are in the process of applying to set Science Based Targets (SBT) to replace them. In the meantime they are already aligning their approach with SBT guidelines. 
As a UK-based company, Focusrite is committed to 2050 as the ultimate deadline for net-zero, but they want to get there quicker. So their approach is not to set a net-zero target year until they have gone through the SBT application process by 2026 at the latest, and instead use carbon reduction metrics and targets to set them up for long-term success.

bst-hyde-park-2013-london-mla-andrew-land

BST Hyde Park 2013 - London - MLA - Andrew Land

<h2>Challenges</h2>
The team at Focusrite use emissions data to guide action, and their emissions are largely dominated by their hardware products, which account for 96% of GHG emissions. 
They have already made good progress in reducing the use of aluminium, plastic, and product packaging, with many more areas under review. As they roll out changes across their product range, the team aims to increase the pace of their reductions, with any new products being designed from more sustainable materials from the start.
Focusrite is striving to become a sustainability leader in its industry, setting the standard for peers to emulate. Environmental stewardship is a big part of that, and the message from the entire employee base is that they want to support nature beyond their value chain. This is why they reached out to Ecologi to help them do more good for our planet.

<h2>Solution </h2>
Focusrite has worked with Ecologi since 2021. Ecologi supports the team to fund tree planting for internal initiatives like employee charity fundraising, but also to offset the wood used in their products. The wood used is already FSC certified, so by planting trees with Ecologi they replace more than they consume. 
Focusrite also works with Ecologi to support projects to mitigate any remaining Scope 1 and 2 emissions they can’t avoid. So far they have funded 17 projects, including a solar power project in Morocco, supplying high efficiency cookstoves in Somalia, and preserving Amazonian rainforest in Brazil.
The team isn&#8217;t shy about sharing Focusrite’s success. They talk about their climate impact prominently in their annual report and employee newsletter, and dive into the details in their dedicated environment and climate reports. 
Taking such positive climate action has boosted Focusrite’s reputation with customers and colleagues alike. They have enjoyed press coverage for their tree planting, which positioned them as a leader in their industry, and they have even had employees join the company purely because of their environmental sustainability programme.

blog_case_study_focusrite_banner_profile-2

Blog_Case_Study_Focusrite_Banner_Profile (2)

<h2>Outcome</h2>
Since 2021, the Focusrite Group has funded the planting of 89,080 trees, supported the prevention of 132 tonnes of CO2e from being emitted, and funded the removal of 81 tonnes of CO2e from the atmosphere. In total 17 different projects have been funded.

blog_case_study_focusrite_banner_quote-1

Blog_Case_Study_Focusrite_Banner_Quote (1)

blog_case_study_focusrite_banner_fop-1

Blog_Case_Study_Focusrite_Banner_FOP (1)

<h2>Is your business ready to take climate action?</h2>
If this article has inspired your business to start its climate journey, talk to our team today.

Schedule a call with our team

cop29_blog_whatshappening_header

COP29_Blog_WhatsHappening_Header

What happened at COP29

This year’s Conference of the Parties is underway in Baku, Azerbaijan and will run until the 22nd of November. Our team at Ecologi are monitoring the daily events to give you real-time analysis and reactions to the developments and agreements taking place. 
What is COP29? Click <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/articles/uncategorised/what-to-expect-at-cop29" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a> for a comprehensive guide to all things COP29. 
What happened at COP28? Click <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/articles/blog/whats-happening-at-cop28" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a> to read a full report of the event in 2023.

<h2>Overall sentiment &#8211; COP29 wrap-up</h2>
The overall sentiment at COP29 reflects a little bit of progress and an awful lot of frustration. As is often the case at the climate COPs, any progress that does get made is often overshadowed by the missed opportunities – and this one is no exception on that front.
The largest positive from this COP is in the agreements made on operationalising carbon market standards under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. This consensus signals hope for greater transparency, higher standards, and clear opportunities for businesses to engage in global climate action projects, in a new carbon market managed under the UN framework. These draft documents on Article 6 were published on the first day of the COP and have stayed relatively static since then – indicating that agreement was achieved early. They did come under criticism though, with the Presidency offering up documents to be accepted as-is, with no opportunity for countries to scrutinise the wording.
The COP as a whole, and its broader negotiations on a range of other topics, have been marred by tensions, frustrations, and geopolitics. Proceedings were thrown somewhat, by world leaders disappearing from the world leaders’ summit at the conference and reconvening in Brazil (next year’s COP host country) for the G20 – leading to <a href="https://www.gov.br/planalto/pt-br/media/18-11-2024-declaracao-de-lideres-g20.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a multilateral G20 declaration</a> which seemed to both celebrate and chastise the country negotiators back in Baku. 
Geopolitics making things difficult – COP29 has taken place against a backdrop of heightened geopolitical tensions between a wide range of countries, which have diverted attention and resources away from climate action and have complicated negotiations. Add to that the problems coming from the COP itself – from country boycotts, to backhanded oil and gas deals, to threats to drop out of the Paris Agreement by Argentina (a threat which was later clarified as rescinded) and by the USA (which is likely to be upheld under the incoming administration) – and it’s easy to wonder how nearly 200 countries can be convinced to agree on anything at all. Let alone an issue with the gravity, urgency, and complexity of climate change.
Poor management by the Presidency – if you’ve followed our daily coverage you’ll have spotted over the past two weeks how this COP has felt quite chaotic and frenetic. It hasn’t really felt throughout proceedings that the Presidency is in control of things – and this applies on the diplomatic level but also in a practical sense, with uncomfortable stories coming out of the conference centre about poorly-managed bathroom facilities and catering. On the draft decisions, the Presidency’s strategy has been cavalier and uncharitable, with something of a ‘take-it-or-leave-it’ attitude to negotiations which isn’t helpful or conducive to compromise. On the last day of the COP, the Climate Action Network awarded the Azerbaijani Presidency their Fossil of the Day award because it “doesn’t understand the gravity of the Presidency, or for that matter the value of civil society”. This is a damning assessment, but one which is hard to disagree with.
Somehow, fossil fuels are still the elephant in the room – we heard from UNEP before COP29 started that <a href="https://www.unep.org/resources/emissions-gap-report-2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">global emissions are still rising</a>, driven by continued fossil fuel use – and yet COP29 has failed to advance any fossil fuel reduction commitments. In Dubai last year, we saw the agreed cover text mention the “phase-down of unabated coal power”, the “transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems” and the “phasing out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies” (which was pretty weak in itself). This year, the fossil fuel lobby was typically massive – with over 1,700 fossil fuel lobbyists in attendance. Despite the overwhelming scientific evidence showing that fossil fuels must stay in the ground, the dominance of fossil fuel interests has continued to undermine progress, with the Arab Group in particular this year refusing to back any texts that reference the phasing out of fossil fuels. The COP29 texts on the UAE dialogue and the Mitigation Work Programme (which ought to have been used to further the outcomes of last year’s Global Stocktake) were meant to enhance climate mitigation. The final version of the MWP fails to mention the transition away from fossil fuels, the 1.5ºC warming goal or the Global Stocktake and its outcomes, and the UAE dialogue on how to proceed on the Global Stocktake wasn’t adopted at all. Interestingly, the earliest drafts did mention the 1.5ºC warming goal and the seriousness of 2023 being the warmest year on record. As the drafts progressed this messaging was removed, despite many calling for the final text to be more ambitious and specific. A deal on the MWP was adopted during the closing plenary session without any intervention. 
Article 6 and UK government provide a few reasons to be positive for businesses 
Whilst the overall sentiment at this year’s COP29 has been disappointment, particularly regarding the pace of global climate action and the lack of firm commitments from key global players, there are still some glimmers of hope for businesses. Among the more promising developments is the aforementioned progress on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and the UK government’s climate commitments. The outcomes on Article 6 pose a step forward for businesses. By advancing frameworks for international carbon markets, COP29 has created a clearer pathway for companies to engage in high-quality carbon offsetting and trading, fostering transparency and credibility in the process. This opens up new opportunities for organisations globally to progress towards net-zero targets whilst supporting climate action projects and global emission reductions. 
The UK government’s renewed focus on climate policy has created incentives such as increased funding for green technology, support for nature based projects and streamlined regulation for sustainable investment, catalysing innovation and market growth. The developments at COP29 have reinforced the role of businesses as a key actor in the fight against climate change when world leaders fall short on agreeing ambitious climate goals. Through embracing innovation, adopting bold emission reduction targets and funding climate action, companies can fill the leadership gap and accelerate progress where governments falter.

COP29 - Daily updates 

cop29_lookfeel_v2co29_blog_banner_01

COP29_Look&Feel_V2CO29_Blog_Banner_01

The two-week conference, scheduled for November 11th-22nd will bring together representatives from all countries that have agreed to be bound by the UNFCCC. The conference takes place annually to negotiate new measures, develop policy and review progress against the goal of limiting climate change.
Azerbaijan, the host nation, has received its fair share of criticism for becoming this year’s COP president. Oil and Gas make up 92.5% of the country’s GDP per capita, and President Ilham Aliyev has stated his support for oil and gas producing nations to continue investing in the sector, clashing with last year’s COP28 outcome in which all nations called for accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels.

cop29_lookfeel_v2co29_blog_banner_02

COP29_Look&Feel_V2CO29_Blog_Banner_02

<h2>The key talking points and priorities in the run up to COP29</h2>
This year, priorities are focused on climate finance, with COP29 being coined the Finance COP, this is reiterated by the programme of scheduling with Finance, Investment and Trade taking priority spot on the first day of discussions.
Energy and Science are also high on the agenda, while Nature and Biodiversity and Oceans and Coastal Zones take more of a back seat, only being scheduled for the final day before negotiations; naturally, this comes as a disappointment as this signals these areas of discussion are considered lower priority when compared with energy and finance.
It is likely momentum and attendance will decrease by the end of week two and could undermine the urgency needed to address the implications of climate change on nature globally and reduce their integration into wider climate strategies.
The following key priorities are expected to lead discussions at COP29;
<h3>New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG)</h3>
Developing countries, particularly those most vulnerable to climate change, require substantial financial support to transition to green economies and adapt to climate impacts. COP29 aims to agree on a new commitment to provide annual climate finance to developing countries, replacing a goal of $100 billion per annum set in 2009 at COP15. The World Economic Forum states that ‘the NCQG must be ambitious yet realistic, balancing the financial capacities of developed countries with the urgent needs of developing nations’.
<h3>Growing the loss and damage fund</h3>
Established and operationalised at COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, the loss and damage fund acknowledges the disproportionate burden that climate change places on vulnerable nations. It is a financial mechanism that helps countries cope with the loss and damages they face due to climate change – this includes loss of life, damage to infrastructure and displacement.
At COP29, there is hope to see significant progress in the fund’s operationalisation and funding. Countries are expected to make substantial pledges to the fund to ensure it can meet the needs of developing countries. To date, major contributors include the UAE, Germany and the United States. Other big-emitting countries such as China and Saudi Arabia are yet to announce their intention to contribute to the fund.
<h3>Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)</h3>
At COP29, nations will be encouraged to commit to more ambitious and robust Nationally Determined Contributions; these are climate action commitments made by countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to climate change mitigation, aligning with the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
NDCs are submitted every 5 years to the UNFCCC, and with the next global stocktake approaching NDCs are to be put forward by February 2025, demonstrating increased ambition and concrete action plans. At COP29, there is likely to be a push to provide financial and technical support to developing countries to enable them to outline and implement NDCs of their own.
<h3>Article 6 of the Paris Agreement</h3>
Article 6 of the Paris Agreement aims to promote the use of carbon markets to achieve their climate targets. At COP29 we can expect discussions with regards to how a robust and well-regulated international carbon market can be developed and maintained. A key goal of COP29 is to finalise the rulebook for Article 6, which will provide clear guidelines for its implementation, and address concerns with regards to the quality of carbon credits, double counting and sustainable development.

cop29_lookfeel_v2co29_blog_banner_04-2

COP29_Look&Feel_V2CO29_Blog_Banner_04 (2)

<h2>Who is attending COP29</h2>
With just 2 months to go until COP29 kicks off, there has been minimal discussion with regards to which World Leaders we can expect at the event.
From the UK, Ed Miliband, the newly appointed Secretary of State for Energy and Net Zero, is confirmed to be leading UK negotiations for COP29. However, with the USA election taking place just 5 days before COP29 begins, it is unlikely that the President will be in attendance. As the event draws closer, we can expect more countries to confirm which delegates will attend.

cop29_lookfeel_v2co29_blog_banner_03

COP29_Look&Feel_V2CO29_Blog_Banner_03

<h2>What to expect during COP29</h2>
An anticipated 40,000 participants are heading to COP29, almost half the number of attendees than at <a href="https://x.ecologi.com/articles/blog/whats-happening-at-cop28" target="_blank" rel="noopener">COP28</a> in Dubai last year; this poses the question of if bigger is necessarily better, fewer attendees reduce the environmental impact of the conferences, with the UN Climate Chief Simon Stiell <a href="https://www.climatechangenews.com/2024/04/24/peak-cop-un-looks-to-shrink-baku-and-belem-climate-summits/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saying he hopes to see fewer people attending COPs </a>as size does not necessarily translate to the quality of outcomes.
COP29 still presents a crucial opportunity to make significant strides in climate action, by focusing on climate finance and reaffirming climate goals, countries can collectively work together to provide the funding and tools necessary to shape the trajectory of global climate efforts.

<h2>Partner with us for COP29 and beyond</h2>
Over the next 12 months we want to support as many businesses as possible to tackle climate change.
If your business is interested in a partnership to help scale climate action or starting its climate journey during COP29 or beyond, get in touch.

Get to know our reforestation partners

Eden Reforestation Projects

The Future Forest Company

Global Forest Generation

High Atlas Foundation

Hommes et Terre

Iniciativa Verde

International Tree Foundation

One Tree Planted

Protect Earth

Trees for the Future

More posts

Meet our Impact Team

Case study: How the Focusrite Group is setting the sustainability standard in the audio technology industry

What happened at COP29

Follow us

Members

Resources

© 2025 Ecologi

Stay in touch with Ecologi