As originally published on Flexport.com.

 

Recently, Flexport.org shared the progress we’re making in delivering humanitarian aid, increasing environmental sustainability, and demonstrating social responsibility. We believe that social and environmental issues are deeply intertwined, so we’re proud to announce our newest initiative: making all of our disaster relief shipments carbon neutral!

 

87% of people in extreme poverty live in countries that are environmentally fragile. The communities living in these vulnerable environments are more likely to be disproportionately impacted by the effects of climate change, like the increased frequency of droughts, floods, and severe weather events. Community development is severely inhibited as a result. Droughts and floods destroy crops, disrupt water systems, and contaminate water reserves. Severe weather events disrupt or destroy critical infrastructures like schools, medical facilities, and transportation.

 

Cyclone Idai, for example, one of Mozambique’s worst disasters, recently caused massive destruction and a rise in cholera outbreaks. Flexport.org, together with Airlink and many other nonprofit partners, delivered over 50,000 lbs of aid supplies to Mozambique in the past few weeks, but we want to take our efforts even further.

 

Because shipping is a major contributor to climate change, we are expanding our carbon neutral services in honor of 2019’s Earth Day. Last year, we launched carbon neutral LCL to make climate-friendly solutions accessible to all Flexport clients at no additional cost. This year, starting on Earth Day, Flexport will offset all shipping-related carbon emissions of every disaster relief shipment we procure and manage. We partner with Carbonfund.org Foundation, a leading 501(c)3 climate solutions provider, to donate to third-party verified, international offset projects.

 

We are proud to be the first freight forwarder to deliver 100% carbon neutral aid shipments, leading the new way forward in partnering with both our international communities and our planet.

 

You can ship carbon neutral too. Join us at flexport.org/carbon-offsets.