What I Learned at Sustainable Brands 23 (SB’23) and VERGE 23

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Reflecting on SB’23 and VERGE 23, I witnessed a widespread shift from conceptualizing climate change issues to implementing practical, actionable sustainability strategies in business.

Attending conferences always brings a mixed bag of emotions for me. It’s great to see familiar industry folks, to connect with lots of new companies and ideas, and to discuss what is on the horizon for sustainability, but logistics can be tricky and the time away from family is a commitment. I spent 7 of 10 working days in back to back weeks attending Sustainable Brands 23 (SB’23) and VERGE 23, and while this stint was a similar mix of complicated logistics and engaging interactions, upon reflection, it brought me squarely back to why I chose to work in sustainability and decarbonization along with the core values and beliefs we have for our Climate Services team here at CarbonBetter. It was encouraging and validating to have these things align with so many at these conferences.

At CarbonBetter, we believe that what’s good for the planet is good for business. At SB’23 there were hundreds of brands coming together in one place to collaboratively learn about and discuss how to take measured steps towards climate action and discuss best practices being used to do so. Hearing about Microsoft’s usage of biomimicry in site design or how Logitech has product level carbon intensity calculations on its package labeling showed innovation to incorporate sustainability into good business. At VERGE 23, the intersection of startups, climate tech, investors, carbon project developers, professional services, and corporations big and small were on full display as 5,000+ people came together to sort through all stages of climate solutions. The density of ideas, beliefs, and people coming together for these gatherings left me nothing short of amazed at how much business is focused on making businesses and the world more sustainable.

As we work with our clients, there is a particular focus on pragmatic solutions that deliver maximum impact. At these two conferences, there seemed to be an increased focus that extended beyond measuring environmental impacts, evaluating potential steps of decarbonization, and goal setting. A larger set of attendees than ever were discussing topics like how to break down communications and terms for applicability and resonance to get better engagement from key stakeholders, how to talk through ROI in a more meaningful way across functions, how to scale quality removals projects in the voluntary carbon market (VCM), and lengthy discussions were had regarding decarbonizing Scope 3 emissions. Insights ranged from The Cool Down about the impactfulness of appealing to self interest as opposed to broader statements about saving the planet to Cisco discussing how Power over Ethernet can be used as an alternative to traditional electric solutions were fascinating. In the midst of these conversations was a common effort to work towards viable solutions by listening to other perspectives. It felt like a strong step across the board from “how do we conceptualize the problem of climate change” to a more practical “how do we start getting something done.”

I don’t know that there are appropriate words to describe the amount of nuance, complexity, and illiquidity that exists in the VCM today. Suffice it to say that it is a significant challenge to any participant in the market to navigate, and if you aren’t active on a regular basis, it is even more daunting of a task. Coming out of in depth conversations—with registries like the Climate Action Reserve (CAR) and the Verra Carbon Standard (VCS), major corporations like Google, Microsoft, and Cisco, carbon project developers, ratings entities like BeZero and Sylvera, and other market participants—about how to scale, the unique challenge to funding projects without access to debt, challenges to project quality, and the like, I am ever confident that CarbonBetter is uniquely able to help navigate the VCM.

As time passes, I am reminded of the importance and urgency with which we need to take climate action. These conferences are a microcosm of my personal journey. The challenges can be daunting, but the work is crucial and increasingly more important. The “why” pushes me to figure out “how.” In the whirlwind of two weeks of conferences and thousands of people gathering, I am energized to continue the work we do here at CarbonBetter, and I am greatly encouraged by all those rowing in the same direction.

We help businesses no matter where they are in their sustainability journey. If you’d like to learn more about how CarbonBetter can help your organization achieve its environmental goals and to meet any upcoming regulations, contact us today.