Popular environmental bonus leads Edge to reduce emissions

Mia Border, a landscape architect at Edge and one of the firm’s driving forces in sustainability.

The landscape architects and engineers at Swedish firm Edge aims to encourage its employees to be mindful of their carbon footprint when traveling. Therefore, everyone receives a bonus when they choose environmentally friendly modes of transport, a benefit that has been utilized by over three-quarters of the staff.

“In a time of climate crisis, it’s necessary to act. Through our environmental bonus, we want to encourage and facilitate our employees to live more climate-smart, which also brings health benefits,” says Mia Border, a landscape architect at Edge and one of the firm’s driving forces in sustainability.

In the Lokstallsområdet area in Kirseberg, Malmö, one finds Edge, a company dedicated to designing the landscapes and urban spaces of the future. Known for their strong focus on sustainability, Edge’s philosophy is rooted in leaving each place they work with in better condition than they found it. 

Mia Border shares insights about Edge’s vision: ‘Our work revolves around conscious choices for a sustainable future, where we combine vision with goodwill to benefit both individuals and society.’

Edge stands out with its comprehensive sustainability strategy, reflected not only in their projects but also in their corporate culture. They have implemented a comprehensive environmental policy for business travel, prioritizing train, bus, and carpooling over flights. Additionally, they have introduced unique climate benefits for their employees. These include reimbursement for business travel by bicycle and a special environmental bonus. This bonus rewards employees who choose environmentally friendly modes of transport and has been used by over three-quarters of the staff.

Want to encourage employees to live more climate friendly

Border explains the purpose behind the environmental bonus: “In a time of climate crisis, it’s necessary to act. Through our environmental bonus, we want to encourage and facilitate our employees to live more climate-smart, which also brings health benefits.”

This approach is part of Edge’s larger commitment to be climate neutral by 2030, a promise that is part of the global LFM30 initiative.

It’s not just Edge’s projects that reflect their focus on sustainability, but also their internal culture and policies. Their efforts to reduce the company’s carbon footprint have not only led to a stronger team spirit among the staff but also to appreciation and recognition within the industry. The employees take pride in being part of a company that takes concrete steps towards a sustainable future, and this commitment permeates the entire organization.

Despite the financial and administrative costs that come with offering these climate benefits, Edge sees them as essential to driving society towards a sustainable future. Through their commitment to sustainability, both in their projects and internal policies, Edge stands as a shining example of how companies can play an active role in creating a more sustainable world.

Read more about, and get inspired by, Edge’s climate work here!

“Working sustainably requires daring to try new alternatives and exploring groundbreaking solutions.”

Olle Sundemo, CEO at Undersåkers Snickeri.

Undersåkers Snickeri, a versatile construction company in Jämtland, is actively working to simplify the construction of sustainable houses. The company offers a range of services that extend from renovation and fine carpentry to new construction and design of low-energy houses.

By prioritizing simple material choices and awareness of their CO2 footprint, Undersåkers Snickeri aims to show the construction industry how small decisions can contribute to significant positive changes for the planet.

We spoke with Olle Sundemo, CEO at Undersåkers Snickeri, about the company’s sustainability work. Olle talks about how Anders and Tore, two of the company’s craftsmen, focus on renovating and restoring kitchens, windows, doors, and furniture that would otherwise be thrown away. The company heats its premises with wood shavings and waste material and minimizes its waste by only having a small trash can for plastic and metal. To further reduce their climate impact, they have switched from diesel cars to electric cars, optimized their logistics to reduce transportation, and strive to minimize non-recyclable waste. They also focus on replacing materials with a high CO2 footprint with more environmentally friendly alternatives and inspire other craftsmen to do the same.

Construction industry stands for 21 % of Sweden’s emissions

With the construction industry responsible for about 21% of Sweden’s total greenhouse gas emissions, according to the National Board of Housing, Building and Planning (Boverket), sustainable construction is an important part in reducing overall emissions. As a smaller construction company, Undersåkers Snickeri faces the challenge of finding new sustainable solutions within the framework of the customer’s budget.

“Working sustainably requires daring to try new alternatives and exploring groundbreaking solutions,” says Olle Sundemo.

One of the company’s main products, wood fiber insulation, is entirely based on recycled material and has the potential to make a huge difference for the climate. By using wood fiber in their climate shells, the energy requirement is minimized while carbon dioxide is sequestered. Undersåkers Snickeri is proud of this solution, which replaces the use of wood chips for energy and instead contributes to better insulation and reduced energy needs.

The goal for Undersåkers Snickeri is to lead the construction industry towards a norm where low-energy houses built from natural materials become the standard. By continuously seeking new ways to replace environmentally harmful materials with eco-friendly alternatives, they hope to inspire other craftsmen to follow their example.

“We want to continue delivering complete solutions and material deliveries for low-energy houses made of natural materials to our customers. We also want to be an obvious partner in sustainable construction projects throughout Scandinavia and actively contribute to ensuring that all houses built in Jämtland have a minimal climate impact,” concludes Olle Sundemo.

“Electric cars are among the most fun and comfortable cars to drive”

Anna Ståhl, founder of Femobility.

Anna Ståhl, founder of Femobility, has created a blog aimed at explaining in an accessible way how to drive and charge electric cars. While men are welcome, her specific target is to engage more women in an area traditionally dominated by men.

Discussing how she came up with the idea for Femobility, Anna shares her journey: “I had previously written posts in various Facebook groups and noticed that many appreciated my way of explaining things. By starting an open webpage, my texts became accessible to everyone. I also looked forward to learning new things, like building websites and creating logos, as the curious and inquisitive person I am.”

Regarding her commitment to electric cars, Anna states that her interest started in 2020 when her housing association installed charging boxes. This led her to consider switching from her diesel car to an electric car. Initially set on a plug-in hybrid, she soon realized that electric vehicles were the only option for her.

“Originally, it was the thought of reduced emissions that attracted me to electric cars. But I soon discovered all the other advantages of them, such as being among the funniest and most comfortable cars to drive. Although electric cars are definitely a better choice for those who choose to drive, I am well aware that they are not without emissions or problems. Discussions regarding electric cars often focus on new, expensive cars and how fun they are to drive, but obviously the best thing is still not to drive at all.”

Learn more via Anna’s blog Femobility!

GoClimate’s thoughts on financing climate projects

For us at GoClimate, it is incredibly important that we maximize the climate benefit of the funds for climate projects contributed by our members and corporate customers.

We have therefore started writing a series of articles diving into how to do as much climate impact as possible with money.

First, a short disclaimer: We are aware that climate financing is part of a larger whole, which includes behavioral changes and systemic changes. Our work spans three main areas: driving systemic change, enabling behavioral change reducing emissions and support for financing climate projects. This article series will focus on financing climate projects.

In this series of articles, we will look at different types of initiatives to support if you want to make a climate impact with your money:

  • Projects that influence society: There are many initiatives working for greater change in society. We try to support projects where our contributions are ‘additional’, meaning they contribute to climate benefits that would not otherwise occur. This area is complex and requires careful evaluation of the climate projects’ effectiveness. Despite the challenges especially in quantifying future impact that additional financing could bring, we strongly believe in supporting these types of organizations and initiatives to achieve changes at the societal level.
  • Projects that reduce emissions: This is the main type of project we support and what members or corporate customers contribute to when they buy tons of CO2e or carbon credits as they are also called. It includes support for projects that contribute to reduced carbon dioxide emissions, such as through energy-efficient stoves or projects in renewable energy. We see these projects as critical because they contribute to reducing emissions – which is the most important thing for us as a society to do right now. However, we are aware that these projects are not perfect and that their climate benefit can sometimes be difficult to quantify, especially in terms of calculating different future scenarios when the projects are started.
  • Projects that remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere: These projects include both nature-based and technical solutions. Nature-based solutions such as tree planting and conservation of forests are important, but also complex in terms of issues about their permanence, land use, and what would have happened without climate financing. Regarding technical solutions such as carbon capture, these are promising but still in an very early stage and small scale and often very expensive – which means that you don’t achieve much impact per dollar spent. We actively follow developments in this area, however, and are open to including them in the future.

At GoClimate, we use strict criteria for selecting climate projects, which include certification, additionality, verifiability, traceability, permanence, and contribution to sustainable development. Our main focus has so far been on projects certified by Gold Standard, which we consider to have the highest requirements for climate projects right now.

We are always ready to adapt and reconsider our strategies to ensure that our efforts provide the greatest possible climate benefit.

We will go through the different types of projects and the ins and outs of them in the next articles in this series. Stay tuned!

“It feels rewarding to be able to make our small contribution to making the planet a little better.”

Michaela Bruneheim, CEO of Evident Life.

Evident Life is a young and completely digital life insurance company with a business idea that focuses on digital innovation, data-driven operations, and preventive health measures. From the beginning, sustainability has been a cornerstone in their development, something they have actively integrated into every phase of their growth.

CEO Michaela Bruneheim shares that their goal was to “do it right from the start” by minimizing their carbon footprint and maintaining environmentally and socially sustainable business practices.

Evident Life is committed to several of the UN’s global sustainability goals, especially goals 3, 5, 8, and 12. This includes measures such as encouraging employees to use bicycles, walking and public transport, and in their digital business model, they continuously strive for energy-efficient technology. Their digital focus also leads to significantly less paper consumption, which they see as a distinct advantage compared to competitors.

Gender equality is also a core aspect of their operations, with an aim for balance in gender distribution both operationally and at the board level. Flexibility in working hours and location is part of their corporate culture, which they see as crucial to maintaining a healthy balance in life for their employees, which in turn contributes to the company’s long-term success and sustainability.

Evident Life conducts an annual climate analysis with GoClimate, where they evaluate and take responsibility for their emissions by financing climate projects, chosen through a democratic process among the employees. This method of climate financing is not only effective but also engaging, as it allows employees to participate in the choice of projects and see the direct effects of their contributions, which Bruneheim describes as a meaningful way to contribute to a better planet.

“It feels rewarding to be able to make our small contribution to making the planet a little better”, says Michaela Bruneheim.

“It is important to remember that our travel choices have direct consequences on our planet.”

Evelina Utterdahl.

Evelina Utterdahl is a Swedish climate activist and advocate for sustainable travel. She has abandoned flying and instead focuses on exploring the world through more environmentally friendly means of transportation, inspiring others to make more sustainable choices.

“Flying is not an option for me, instead I focus on exploring the beauty in my immediate surroundings and Sweden as a whole. There is so much beauty in our country that I have not yet experienced. When I do feel like discovering places outside of Sweden, I dream of train adventures or road trips (with electric vehicles) through Europe with my family. I also see small adventures, like visiting a new restaurant in my city, as a form of travel.”

Her transition to a sustainable way of traveling began with an eye-opening insight:

“In 2018, I came across an article that pointed out the large amount of carbon dioxide emissions from air travel. When I realized how enormous the impact of a single flight can be, I decided to stop flying entirely. I could not justify the pleasure of flying with the serious consequences it has on our planet and its inhabitants.”

Evelina’s tip: Try to be flight-free for a couple of years

Evelina wants to highlight how our choices in travel affect our environment:

“It is important to remember that our travel choices have direct consequences on our planet. Many people in the world have never even flown, and it is actually just a small percentage that flies regularly. Europeans have the luxury of being able to explore so many fantastic places through sustainable travel methods, like trains or carpooling.”

For those who are ready to take the step towards more sustainable travel, Evelina recommends starting by aiming to be flight-free for a couple of years.

“Give yourself the chance to discover the wonderful sustainable alternatives that exist. Once you try these alternatives, the thought of flight-free travel will feel less overwhelming. For example, if you are unsure of how to travel by train, there are Facebook groups and travel specialists who can guide you.”

Follow Evelina on Instagram to experience her love for both our planet and the people who live there!

Gifts with a low carbon footprint

Hållbara och klimatsmartajulklappstips

Can you celebrate the holidays and work to fight climate change at the same time? Absolutely! Below we have listed our best tips for gifts with low carbon emissions. Reducing the number of gifts, giving a climate-friendly experience, or mutually agreeing that all gifts are to be bought secondhand this year is a great way to reduce the climate footprint of giving gifts to loved ones.

1. A GoClimate gift card
Give your loved ones the gift of a healthier planet! Try out our climate gift card and contribute with climate finance to speed up the transition to a more sustainable society.

2. Time together
Probably the most valuable thing we have today; time! Invite over for dinner or plan an adventure. Probably the thing they want the most – the opportunity to spend more time with you.

3. The card playing game Climate Call
Does a transatlantic flight have a bigger climate impact than eating steak every day for a year? Players of Climate Call get to learn how the climate is affected by our everyday actions. The game is guaranteed to spark a lively discussion!

3. A book
Reading is a wonderful and easy way to enter new worlds, experience and learn great things or just take your mind of the everyday life for a while. Maybe you have a pocket version of your favourite book at home, and you’re ready to pass on this story to someone else? Also, second hand stores are full of great books!

4. Inspiration to cook more vegetarian or vegan food 
A perfect gift for someone who wants to cut down on their meat consumption, is a subscription to a vegan or vegetarian food magazine, a vegetarian cooking class or subscription to a vegetarian or plant-based food box! 

5. Buy something pre-owned or choose something from home that you no longer use
Make an agreement with friends and family that this year’s gift exchange will consist of second hand presents only. The climate footprint of a pre-owned gift is basically zero.

6. A charity donation
Support others in their fight on climate change, for example Amazon Frontlines, Amazon Watch, Our Kids Climate or Fridays for Future

7. Homemade baked goods – bring out your inner master chef!

TIPS FOR THE BEST HOLIDAY GIFT GAME EVER!

If you love the idea of mountains of nicely wrapped presents, introduce a new tradition that can give you lots of gifts – or none at all..! Try out this holiday gift game where everyone contributes with 1-2 gifts (all pre-owned, of course). Follow the instructions below.

  1. Gather arouand and put all the gifts in the centre.
  2. Bring out a dice.
  3. Each participant rolls the dice. When getting a 1 or a 6, that player can choose a present from the pile. Continue until there are no gifts left.
  4. Open the gifts you won (if you did win any).
  5. Now the fun begins. Set the time for 5-10 min depending on how long you want to keep going. Then put away the timer so no one sees how much time is left.
  6. Start rolling the dice again. Now you get to take someone else’s present every time you hit a one or six. When the timer rings, the game is over and you can keep all (or no) gifts that you have managed to collect.

Focus on the things that matter most in life

Johan Ernfors and Elisabeth Byström. Photo: Christine Olsson

Elisabeth Byström and Johan Ernfors run the Instagram account Minimalisterna where they share their everyday life and strive towards a simpler and more harmonious life with minimalism.

“The biggest change we’ve made is not buying things immediately when the desire or interest arises”

Elisabeth and Johan live in a residential area outside of Stockholm with their two children and from the outside, they appear like any other family.

However, they actively strive to live with fewer unnecessary items, meaning they only own items they truly need and use. They also seek to eliminate the less important things when it comes to expenses, commitments, and interests in life.

“The biggest change we’ve made is not buying things immediately when the desire or interest arises. And to have patience and first research the second-hand market properly. Still, when there is a need we do want to purchase quality and tech gadgets that meet our needs.”

“We still have the computer we bought together in 2012”

“We replace tech gadgets when we feel that the ones we have today no longer meet our needs. Clear examples are mobile phones where substantial development has occurred over the past ten years, which means we’ve switched phones a couple of times, for instance, to get a better camera since we take a lot of photos. Whereas when it comes to computers, we still have one that we bought together in 2012, which still works and meets our needs to this day. The children each have a tablet that we bought second-hand as we didn’t feel they needed brand new ones to meet their needs.”

Elisabeth and Johan’s tips for sustainable consumption

Elisabeth and Johan’s tips for a more sustainable approach to tech are primarily to start looking in the second-hand market,

“If you don’t own the gadget today, or if you have a working one right now, you most likely don’t need to buy it so you have it tomorrow or upgrade immediately. Have some patience.

And don’t forget the importance of selling tech gadgets you don’t use as soon as possible, as technology can easily become outdated and thereby quickly depreciates in value.”

Regarding consumption in general, the couple suggests asking yourself some control questions before making a purchase.

“For instance; How will my life improve with this item? What value does this item bring to me? How often will I really use it? And is this something I truly need, or is it more something I want but don’t need?

Having a basic rule to never make impulsive purchases is key. If you find something interesting, always sleep on it or set a timeframe to wait a week or month and then see if the need still feels as strong. It’s surprisingly common that a little distance and time results in what felt like an intense need cooling down.”

Check out their instagram account for more inspiration!

Inrego want to highlight circular IT as a competitive advantage

Sebastian Holmström, works as Sustainability Manager at Inrego.

Inrego wants to change buying behavior and promote circular IT as a competitive advantage.

Laptops, computers, mobile phones, and other IT products can be reused just like cars, boats, or bicycles.

“After 28 years in the industry, we know that a reconditioned product lasts just as long as a new one, so we offer the same warranty as for new products.” says Sebastian Holmström, Sustainability Manager at Inrego.

 “It is important for us to show that there is a difference between reused products that have not been worked properly on and reconditioned products that have been upgraded and are sold with a warranty.”

Sustainability plays a crucial role in being an attractive employer

Sebastian has experienced that the market for reused electronics is thriving since a few years back, for several reasons – not least because of how sustainable business practices strengthen the brand.

“We see that circular IT has become a competitive advantage, where sustainable IT management is crucial to attract young talent to the company. Sustainability plays a crucial role in being an attractive employer, and the demand for reused products has increased significantly for this reason.”

Read more about Inrego here.

Check out Inregos webshop here.

Read our checklist for handling IT equipment sustainably as a company, here.

IT-equipment checklist for companies

Hands writing on computer.

Ensure maximum performance and durability of your equipment

  • Provide maintenance for existing equipment
  • If something is broken, the possibility of repairing or replacing a component should always be considered.
  • See if it makes financial sense to do so. Sometimes repairing is more expensive than new equipment, In this case, the decision to repair could still be valid if the life expectancy is still significant.

Purchases should be based on actual (not perceived) needs

  • Have a good inventory.
  • Reassign equipment among colleagues.
  • Avoid buying new equipment if not needed.


Replacement policy

  • Do not have an automatic 2-3 year replacement, make it optional for employees to replace at that time if they see the need.
  • Consider the manufactures guidance for when equipment should be replaced but bear in mind that well-taken care of equipment can last longer.


Consider buying refurbished electronics

  • Companies such as Inrego or Swappie sell refurbished equipment that had a previous owner and now has been repaired for others to use it.
  • If they have equipment that serves your needs consider buying from them instead of brand new equipment


When buying new equipment

  • Look for environmentally certified products such as the Green Electronics Council EPEAT Registry or TCO Certified.
  • Buy from brands that account for their carbon footprint and energy efficiency
  • Look for energy efficiency ecolabels such as Energy star or the one created by the EU where A means most efficient. Applies to monitors, computers, and servers.

The afterlife of your equipment