In 1968, the first people saw the Earth from afar – the crew of Apollo 11. Astronaut Michael Collins described the Earth at that time as:
"I had a feeling it’s tiny, it’s shiny, it’s beautiful, it’s home, and it’s fragile."
This year’s IPCC report has once again shown how fragile our home planet is. Leading climate scientists make it clear: We will not meet the goals of the Paris Agreement (1.5 °C warming) unless we reduce our emissions immediately. To achieve the 1.5-degree target, the world must cut CO₂e emissions by 50% by 2030, otherwise irreversible chain reactions threaten.
For us at RYZON, environmental awareness has been part of our DNA since day one. As athletes, we feel at home outdoors – whether cycling, running, or swimming. We want to be part of the solution, but we know the issue is complex and requires many steps. Our motto: "Talkers talk, walkers walk" – we act.
In recent months, together with Climate Partner, we have reached an important milestone: The headquarters of RYZON has fully offset its CO2 emissions through a financial climate contribution. We know this is only the first step, but true to our motto "Chase the horizon", we believe the journey is worthwhile.
In this article, we explain our measures, how we implement them, and what plans we have for the future.
What exactly are we talking about here?
Before we go into our measures, some terms should be clarified that will repeatedly appear in the following.
What is a CO₂ equivalent (CO₂e)?
A CO₂ equivalent (CO₂e) is a unit of measurement that standardises the climate impact of various greenhouse gases.
What is CO₂ compensation?
CO₂ compensation refers to any activity that offsets the emission of CO₂e elsewhere, e.g., through reforestation or peatland rewetting.
How is the compensation of our emissions carried out?
Calculating and recording emissions for an entire company is complex. We divide them into three areas:
Scope 1: All emissions from sources directly owned or operated by us – e.g., our company vehicles.
Scope 2: Emissions from purchased energy for our company operations – e.g., electricity or heating.
Scope 3: Emissions arising from activities not directly owned by us but relevant to our company – e.g., the manufacture of our clothing.
We initially focus on the area we can directly influence: fleet and building management of our headquarters.
How and where we offset
The decision on which project we support with our compensation payment was one of the most difficult steps. We based this on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN.
These goals outline a common path to peace and prosperity – while simultaneously combating the climate crisis and protecting our oceans and forests.
After careful consideration, we selected a reforestation project that directly impacts the Earth's biosphere (Goal 15: Life on Land).
Since local projects in Germany alone are not sufficient to ensure our CO₂ neutrality, we chose a dual project:
Germany: Support of local climate protection projects
Brazil (State of Pará): Global compensation and promotion of climate protection
Our next steps
Having determined our emissions for the first time, we want to:
Further reduce our emissions
Use the platform for projects like United in Humanity
Goal 13: Climate Action is one of the central SDGs, as it can promote real change and influence all other aspects.
We want to take the next steps together with our community. Therefore, we have compiled some resources to further inform you about the topic:
Calculate the environmental footprint of your clothing: How sustainable is your own consumption?
Compensate flight emissions: The platform Atmosfair helps calculate your own flight emissions.
Books, films & series:
The Green Idea (book series, Penguin)
Our Planet (film)
Seat at the Table by Jack Harries (series)