Grab users will soon be able to reduce their carbon footprint when travelling with Grab through a carbon offset feature integrated within the Grab app.
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| Source: Grab. Explaining the carbon offset feature. |
Grab’s new carbon offset feature, to be launched in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand in July before rolling out to the rest of the region, will let consumers purchase carbon offsets at less than US$0.10 per ride. The amount will go towards reforestation and conservation projects managed by local non-governmental organisations.
In Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia, Grab has partnered with EcoMatcher to work with a list of vetted foundations and NGOs to plant trees. Users in these countries will receive a dedicated tree when they have completed a designated number of carbon-neutral rides. The trees will be planted in GrabForGood Forests, dedicated spaces for Grab’s tree-planting initiative under the carbon offset programme.
Through EcoMatcher, Grab users will be able to virtually travel to their trees, name their trees, view photos of their newly-planted trees, and learn more about the farmers who planted their trees. In addition, Grab users in Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam and the Philippines can also plant a tree through EcoMatcher using their GrabRewards points from the end of June.
“Over the years, we have taken steps to reduce our environmental footprint, such as investing over US$200 million to build up the number of electric vehicles and hybrids in our car rental fleet inSingapore, as well as saving close to 380 million sets of single-use plastic cutlery from being used in 2020.
"However, there is still a lot of work to be done to get us to a net-zero carbon future. Our new carbon offset feature is another important step in reducing our carbon footprint, while contributing towards environmental conservation projects that uplift local communities,” said Cheryl Goh, Group Head of Marketing and Sustainability, Grab.
The initiative is outlined in Grab's first annual Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) report, which outlines the company’s commitment to create socioeconomic empowerment and safeguard the environment while delivering strong financial performance.
“The health of our business is intrinsically linked to the welfare of our communities and the protection of our environment. In order for our business to grow and succeed in the long run, we must work towards building thriving communities where our partners have sustainable income opportunities, while protecting our environment for generations to come.
"Our first ESG Report reflects our commitment to build a business with a double bottom line, while ensuring transparency and accountability to our stakeholders,” said Anthony Tan, Group CEO and Co-Founder of Grab.
1 According to a regional survey of 8,910 Grab users conducted in March 2021, across Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam.
