myclimate discontinues automated awarding of the impact label “Engaged for Impact”

The Foundation myclimate has decided to discontinue the automated awarding of its “Engaged for Impact” label at the end of December. Until now, companies have been able to use it to highlight the fact that they have calculated their corporate footprint, including all relevant data, and that they have provided an equivalent amount of financing to climate protection projects. Due to very critical discussions in the media, myclimate is now withdrawing this service. Companies that are committed to climate protection and want to communicate this should not be penalised for their climate protection actions in the context of generalised discourse.

For over a decade, companies have been able to calculate their operational emissions easily and on their own responsibility via the myclimate online calculators . The results provide them with valuable indications about options for them to reduce their emissions, and if they wish, they can also take responsibility for their footprint by financing climate protection projects.

About two years ago, myclimate introduced an additional option: that companies could obtain the myclimate impact label «Engaged for Impact» as evidence of their own efforts if they calculated their footprints themselves and provided funding accordingly. This offer was aimed at small and micro-enterprises that wanted to get involved in climate protection but did not have either the human or financial resources for the myclimate labelling procedure. The analysis and labelling were carried out via the myclimate online calculator based on data given on the user’s own responsibility, using automated controls based on the extensive myclimate data reservoir built up over the years with data from hundreds of customers across a range of different industries.

Why will myclimate no longer be offering the label via the online calculators in the future?

By deciding not to offer the label in this automated way, myclimate wants to protect companies from public criticism. In the course of important reporting and journalistic revelations, as well as more vehement debate in the face of increasingly dramatic climate change, corporate climate protection in general has come in for close critical examination in recent months. Companies that publicise their own climate protection measures are often exposed to the general suspicion of greenwashing. Tools designed to enable companies to take action on climate change, but that rely on trust and less bureaucracy to do so, are becoming objects of mistrust.

“We didn’t take this decision lightly. The introduction of the automated label was intended to give smaller companies in particular access to climate protection. SMEs have great appeal and credibility, especially with their customers, including for climate protection issues. In order to bring the debate back to climate protection and to bring the pressure that is needed to bear on those who have so far failed to face up to their responsibilities in any way, we will no longer be offering our label via the online calculator. We of course encourage companies and organisations to continue to use our online calculators, as well as our extensive services in the areas of consulting, solutions and education, to help them prevent and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We also strongly recommend financing climate protection measures outside your own value chain with the help of the projects in our portfolio. These projects can be viewed as an immediately effective climate protection measure for use alongside other actions,” says Kai Landwehr, Co-Executive Director and Director of Global Marketing at myclimate.

Climate protection options for companies

Web platform for calculating CO2 emissions

Important information about the myclimate label “Engaged for Impact”

The myclimate impact label “Engaged for Impact” combines responsible behaviour with marketing and scientific excellence with cost-effectiveness. It is intended to ensure active positioning, integrating innovative climate protection into business activities. “Engaged for Impact” has replaced myclimate’s well-known “climate-neutral” label. myclimate withdrew the “climate-neutral” label from the market in 2022 due to the changed political environment.

Announcement of replacement of myclimate “climate-neutral” label

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