Stripe is a California-based technology company that provides the payments infrastructure for much of the internet. They’re also one of the most innovative of a new band of conscientious corporations guided by ethics and doing the right thing over quarterly reports.
On August 15th, 2019, Stripe announced plans to go beyond carbon-neutral, by funding carbon-sequestration projects. From their announcement…
As part of Stripe’s environmental program, we fully offset our greenhouse gas emissions by purchasing verified carbon offsets. Starting this year, we’re going a step further. In addition to our offset program, we are committing to pay, at any available price, for the direct removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and its sequestration in secure, long-term storage. We’re announcing this commitment to solicit technology partners and to urge other companies to follow suit.
The climate emergency requires urgent and effective action at every level. Governments can support carbon reduction initiatives through policy but in reality, action happens at the operational level, through cities like Glasgow, and through corporations. Tech companies like Apple and Google are already contributing to carbon curtailment with the use of corporate PPAs, which happen to be on track for a record level in 2019.
Stripe is taking its environmental role much further, not because it’s cost-effective, or because they have to, but because they can. It’s a call-to-action for other companies to join in Stripe’s commitment.
