Every financial year we donate one percent of our revenue — that’s right, revenue, not profit — to a handful of charities doing their bit to protect and preserve our planet, through 1% for the Planet. This effort forms just one part of our impact framework, alongside measuring and managing our emissions, transparently reporting on our progress, giving five percent of our time to pro bono clients, volunteering, and maintaining our B Corp certification and being a members of ACON’s Welcome Here Project, Clean Creatives, and Comms Declare. Phew, almost ran out of breath reading that sentence back.
What is 1% for the Planet?
1% for the Planet was founded in 2022 by Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, and Craig Mathews, owner of Blue Ribbon Flies. The pair recognised that businesses have a significant impact on the environment, so they decided businesses should pledge to protect the resources they use and benefit from.
1% for the Planet members donate one percent of their yearly revenue to the organisation’s vetted environmental partners. Businesses choose the organisations to donate to, and all donations go directly to them.
Patagonia was the first company to contribute to the initiative, and since then, 1% for the Planet has gathered and dispersed over $635 million to environmental causes worldwide.
Why we donate
We’ve been a 1% for the Planet partner since we kicked things off in 2019. The partnership aligns with our company vision: to help create a better future for the next generation of young folks. We do this not only through our day-to-day work, but also by supporting organisations who are doing good things for people and the planet.
Greenwashing and greenhushing traps are real for all organisations (yep, including us), and the concepts of ‘impact’ and ‘giving back’ can quickly become vague if it isn’t followed through.
1% for the Planet CEO Kate Williams explains it best:
‘Lots of brands say they give back, or give the impression of environmental action through ‘green’ packaging and vague statements. The 1% for the Planet membership is a way for both businesses and consumers to cut through the noise — to make a real impact and reject business as usual.’
Who we donated to this year
We donate in line with the financial year. Donations go directly to vetted charities, and we upload the receipts of donations and proof of our revenue to the 1 Percent for the Planet portal for independent verification.
We always aim to donate to organisations that address a variety of impact areas, from First Nations organisations to those focused on animal welfare, conservation and regenerative work, or partners local to our area. We always consult our team in deciding where to donate to each year. It’s more fun that way — and it ensures we’re focusing our efforts on a healthy variety of causes.
This year we donated to:
- Climate 200: An organisation helping political candidates committed to climate action get elected to parliament, powering change on a political level.
- ‘Til The Cows Come Home: An organisation (and a Young Folks client!) helping to rescue and rehome unwanted farm animals that are often considered ‘waste’.
- Sustainable Table: A not-for-profit committed to the regeneration of food and farming in Australia.
- Rainforest Rescue: A conservation organisation protecting endangered rainforests in the Daintree. We made an in-kind donation through our pro bono work (that means we volunteered our time).
Curious to find out more about our impact? Here’s the full lowdown on our commitment to social and environmental responsibility.
