We Just Renewed our Climate Neutral Certification
| Words by Madeline MyersEarlier this August, we renewed our Climate Neutral certification for the 2023 calendar year, a milestone that reflects our ongoing commitment to reducing our environmental impact. Here's what this re-certification means for us and why it’s one of our proudest accomplishments this summer.
What is Climate Neutral?
When you see the Climate Neutral Certified label, you can trust that the company is serious about minimizing its greenhouse gas emissions. Renewing this certification is an annual commitment and requires a significant amount of work. To become Climate Neutral Certified, companies must:
- Measure cradle-to-customer emissions: This involves calculating the total carbon footprint from the start of the production process all the way to the customer’s hands.
- Implement reduction strategies: Companies must actively work to reduce their emissions through reduction plans.
- Invest in carbon credits: These credits fund projects that offset emissions by removing or reducing greenhouse gasses from the atmosphere.
What goes into becoming a Climate Neutral Certified company?
Achieving Climate Neutral Certified status requires examining every aspect of our business to determine where and how much carbon dioxide we emit. We examine everything—from the raw materials we use, like the stainless steel in Steel Band and the FKM in Sport Band, to our supply chain logistics. This includes how we transport products from our factory to the warehouse, how they reach your doorstep, and even the carbon footprint of returned items making their way back to us.
We organize all this information into categories called “Scopes.”
- Scope 1 emissions: Direct emissions we control, such as diesel burned in fleet vehicles or gas used to heat our office.
- Scope 2 emissions: Indirect emissions from the energy we purchase, like electricity.
- Scope 3 emissions: Emissions from our goods and services including raw materials, manufacturing, shipping, and other activities in our supply chain.
Another important part of becoming Climate Neutral Certified is creating reduction plans with set deadlines. At Nomad, we’ve adopted near-term action plans to reduce GHG emissions within the next 12 to 24 months. Learn more about our specific reduction plans here.
Why does being Climate Neutral Certified matter?
Over the past few years, Nomad has grown from a small startup into a company with an expansive product lineup, a global team, and big ambitions. As we've grown, we've become increasingly aware of our environmental footprint.
It's challenging to prioritize sustainability in every business decision, but we make conscious efforts where possible—like in our packaging and using responsibly sourced materials. That’s why being Climate Neutral Certified is so important. It helps us offset any gaps in our initiatives and supports organizations doing great work.
Our commitment to maintaining Carbon Neutral Certified status is a tangible way we give back to the planet and ensure its health and longevity for generations to come. This ethos of responsibility and care for the environment is deeply ingrained in everything we do at Nomad.
The NIHT Topaiyo REDD+ Project
One of the ways we offset our carbon emissions for the 2023 calendar year was through our partnership with the NIHT Topaiyo REDD+ Project in Papua New Guinea. This project addresses the critical issue of deforestation, a problem that has impacted the region since it became a leading timber exporter in 2014. With 1.4% of its forests disappearing each year, Papua New Guinea is losing not just trees but also 5% of the world’s biodiversity and a vital carbon sink.
The NIHT Topaiyo REDD+ Project works with local landowners in New Ireland and East New Britain to halt the expansion of industrial timber operations. By protecting these forests, the project helps reduce carbon emissions and conserve biodiversity. This partnership is just one example of how we’re positively impacting the environment beyond our immediate business operations. Learn more about the NIHT Topaiyo REDD+ Project here.
We also work with several other organizations that share our commitment to sustainability, including Protecting Blue Whales Blue Skies (BWBS). BWBS incentivizes ship operators to reduce vessel speeds when transiting along the California coastline. Since its inception in 2014, BWBS’s mission is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, endangered whale strikes, and underwater noises from vessels. Through this collaboration, we’re continually exploring new ways to reduce carbon emissions and minimize our footprint. Learn more about the companies we partner with here.
We’re Always Looking for Ways to Improve
By renewing our Climate Neutral Certification for the 2023 past calendar year, we’re reaffirming our dedication to protecting the places we love and ensuring that Nomad remains a leader in sustainable practices. Thank you for supporting us as we continue digging in and making change.
We’re always looking for ways to improve and we’d love to hear from you if you have ideas or suggestions on how we can further reduce our carbon footprint. Email us at support@nomadgoods.com or shoot us a DM on Instagram at @nomad.