Curb your carbon: Marshmallow customers have already offset over a million kilograms of carbon this year
And we’re only getting started.
TL;DR — Marshmallow becomes the first UK insurer to partner with ClimatePartner and offset the first 500 miles of every customer from 2021 onwards. And in the first couple of months we have already offset over 1 million kg of carbon. See more details here.
When we started Marshmallow we promised ourselves, our customers and our investors that we would do things differently. Fairer prices? You bet. Better customer experience? Absolutely. But it doesn’t stop there.
As the effects of climate change intensify by the day, we know insurers like us can influence real change in the fight against it. We live in a society that plays a big part in accelerating the effects of climate change, and cars alone account for 21% of all CO2 emissions in Europe. But so far, very little has been done.
Enter Marshmallow’s new carbon offsetting programme. Our first step towards helping our customers reduce their carbon footprint. And to start, we’re putting our money where our mouth is and offsetting every customer’s first 500 miles with us! Our aim? To encourage people to go carbon neutral. Our hope — that the rest of the industry steps up and joins us.
Great. So what does being carbon neutral actually mean?
The whole carbon neutral/carbon offsetting thing can get a bit confusing. But essentially, as a carbon-neutral driver, you would tally up the amount of carbon your car releases into the atmosphere every year. You’d then support initiatives that actively prevent that same amount of carbon from being released somewhere else. You’re basically cancelling out your car’s CO2 emissions.
What good can it do?
If all UK-based insurers shared the burden of responsibility and offset 500 miles of emissions for each customer, it would balance out 3.3 million tonnes of carbon every year. That’s like planting 152 million trees! To reach these numbers, we’d need all insurers to commit. But for now, we’re proud to be paving the way.
What are we doing at Marshmallow?
We’re becoming the first UK insurer to collaborate with ClimatePartner, an organisation that helps companies take meaningful action on climate change. They’re helping us introduce our new carbon offsetting programme — a scheme that helps and encourages our customers to offset their carbon emissions. And we are now offsetting the equivalent of 500 miles worth of driving for every one of our customers!
How are we offsetting carbon?
We’re so excited to back three brilliant initiatives that, between them, reduce pollution, protect biodiversity and promote clean energy. And these projects not only work to reduce carbon emissions, they’re having a positive socio-economic impact, too. Because we know that those worst affected by the climate crisis are those who contribute to it the least.
Providing clean cookstoves to people in Rwanda
These energy-efficient stoves reduce the open-flame pollution created by traditional cooking methods. Cleaning up the air means preventing damage to the unique ecosystem on Nyungwe, as well as improving the health of those who live there, particularly those from low-income households.
Building and maintaining wind farms in India
This project is based in the Indian state of Karnataka, and supports wind farms that produce clean electricity with emission-free technology. It directly reduces greenhouse gases, secures an energy supply for regions in need of it, and provides long-term employment in the region.
Protecting the Amazon rainforest in Peru
The Madre de Dios region is one of the largest areas with the highest biodiversity in the world. By supporting its protection, we are helping to preserve one of the planet’s most important reservoirs, as well as the area’s endangered species.
Why are we doing it?
Climate change is the biggest threat facing humanity right now. But you don’t need us to tell you that. We believe all companies have a responsibility to do their part and to make positive changes that directly benefit stakeholders and shareholders. It’s always been our mission to change things up in an otherwise tired industry, and this is another way that we can innovate for good.
What else can be done?
For us, this is just the beginning. We’ll continue to build tools, share information, and financially back the causes that need it. We’ll do everything we can to help ourselves and our customers make a difference, and we hope this action will encourage other insurers to do the same.
We’ve put together a page on our website so customers can see the exciting new project and understand what they’ll be part of if they buy their car insurance through Marshmallow. See it here.
