“We are climate neutral”, said Tim Faltis, Board Member at FAIR ALPHA. In collaboration with ClimatePartner, the company’s carbon footprint has been calculated on the basis of internationally recognised standards and offset by certified climate protection projects since March 2022. ClimatePartner’s “climate neutral” label certifies that all greenhouse gas emissions are being offset.
In addition to avoidance and reduction, offsetting CO2 emissions is an important step in holistic climate protection. “In the beginning, we recorded our CO2 emissions with ClimatePartner’s support and established the corporate carbon footprint”, Faltis pointed out. This covers everything from heating and energy to employees’ office and business trips to office supplies. Wherever possible, FAIR ALPHA avoids and reduces the resulting CO2 emissions: For example, the company uses only green electricity, and e-charging stations for employees’ vehicles are available for free at the Luxembourg site. “We regularly update our corporate carbon footprint and thus have an overview of the success of our measures”, said Faltis.
In a first step, all unavoidable CO2 emissions or any excess that cannot be reduced to zero right away are offset. The focus is on investments in recognised climate protection projects certified according to international standards that directly reduce CO2 pollution and that contribute to combating global warming. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) offer a globally recognised yardstick for measuring these positive effects. These 17 goals also include combating poverty and hunger, promoting education, and spreading clean and affordable energy worldwide.
In the combined “Tree Planting, Forest Restoration and Emissions Offsetting” project that is supported by FAIR ALPHA, trees are planted in Germany while at the same time the rainforest in South America is protected: Preserving the forest at the mouth of the Brazilian Amazon creates alternative sources of income for local families. In Colombia, the project protects the rainforest and its biodiversity. This also benefits residents in terms of healthcare, education and nutrition. “For every tonne of CO2 that is offset there, an additional tree is planted in Germany. In this way, we are also supporting the fight against climate change in the area where CO2 is emitted”, Faltis explained.
The second project supported by FAIR ALPHA, “Ocean Protection Plastic Bank”, aims to stem the tide of plastic in the oceans while improving people’s lives. Residents in Haiti, Indonesia, Brazil and the Philippines collect plastic waste and are able to exchange it for money, food or fees for schools. The collected material is being recycled and serves as raw material for new products. CO2 is additionally offset via a wind farm in the Philippines or a wind power project on Aruba. For every tonne of CO2 that is offset, ten kilogrammes of plastic waste are collected.
“At FAIR ALPHA, we attach great importance to the issue of sustainability in general. We have also just established a new company, FAIR ALPHA Sustainable, which will exclusively issue sustainable financial instruments”, said Tim Faltis. The cooperation with ClimatePartner was therefore only a logical step for the entire organisation.
About ClimatePartner
Founded in Munich in 2006, ClimatePartner works with over 2,500 companies in 35 countries. ClimatePartner combines individual consulting with cloud-based software allowing clients to calculate and reduce CO2 emissions and offset unavoidable emissions. Products and companies thus become climate neutral, as confirmed by the ClimatePartner label. In addition, ClimatePartner offers climate protection projects in several regions with different technologies and standards using the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as the benchmark.