The Economist Group is strengthening its climate commitments by partnering with Carbonfuture and leading carbon removal providers Exomad Green and Varaha to drive real-world climate impact through employee-led project selection.
In a unique approach, The Economist invited employees to choose durable carbon removal projects from a global roster curated by Carbonfuture.
This hands-on strategy not only supports the Group’s ambitious sustainability goals but also weaves climate action into the organization’s culture.
With a legacy of informing global audiences since 1843, The Economist has long recognized the need to walk its own talk on climate issues.
The publication first sounded the alarm on global warming in a 1989 cover story, and in 2019, it deepened its commitment with the launch of an internal climate strategy led by its newly formed sustainability function.
“The biggest impact we can have is ensuring that our audience is equipped to understand and to take action on the climate and nature crisis through our content. But we must also lead when it comes to our own footprint and impacts.”, said Emily Jackson-Kessler, SVP of Sustainability at The Economist Group.
The Group has set science-aligned climate targets, validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), including a 43% emissions reduction by 2030. It has already surpassed its earlier goal of cutting emissions by 25% by 2025—a year ahead of schedule.
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Its four-pillar decarbonization strategy focuses on:
- Digital transition: shifting to digital-first operations
- Travel reduction: limiting business travel, especially flights
- Energy efficiency: improving office energy use and sourcing renewables
- Value chain engagement: collaborating with suppliers to lower emissions across its supply chain
With a goal to reach net-zero emissions by 2045, The Economist Group also recognizes the importance of addressing residual emissions through innovative carbon removal solutions.
Employee-Driven Climate Contributions
Reflecting its inclusive approach, The Economist Group empowered employees to select projects for its climate contribution budget.
Working alongside Carbonfuture, they chose biochar initiatives by Exomad Green in Bolivia and Varaha in India.
Both projects are fully monitored through Carbonfuture’s digital MRV (Monitoring, Reporting, Verification) platform, ensuring complete transparency and data integrity.
Employees based their decisions on two criteria: alignment with the Group’s mission and the potential for broad climate and community benefits.
By integrating staff voices into its climate strategy and partnering with trusted carbon removal providers, The Economist Group is setting a powerful example of how organizations can lead meaningful, verifiable climate action from within.
Read more: In A New Deal, NextGen Purchases Biochar Removals From Exomad Green With dMRV By Carbonfuture
