E-commerce platforms often fall short when it comes to carbon footprint due to mass deliveries, however Etsy was the first eCommerce platform to offset 100% of carbon emissions from shipping and packaging. It achieves this by purchasing “offsets” through 3Degrees. These are initiatives supporting environmental projects to help protect forests, improve air quality and absorb carbon.
In 2020, 37% of the total GHG emissions came from the shipping and returning of products. With statistics like these, Etsy strives to make a difference through their offsetting scheme and help build sustainabile brands.
In addition, by 2030, Etsy aims to reach net zero emissions with a 50% reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and a 13.5% reduction in Scope 3 GHGs.
On top of this, Etsy is primarily a platform-based e-commerce shop, which means more carbon savings in terms of marketing processes, for example product visuals production via a digitally-controlled and remote production process, such as the use of remote styling, product photography and AI. Quite apart from expensive old school production costs, this also means less materials, transport, materials wastage, manpower etc. The entire e-commerce process pares down into a scalable, yet sustainable digital platform process. So while there is still the unavoidable carbon footprint of production, shipping and packaging; at least marketing GHGs are being pared down.
How can your business play a part? Etsy focuses on promoting sustainable sellers who align with their mission. If e-commerce sustainability is one of the unique selling points of your brand, Etsy is a good avenue for your brand to reach the right audience and be showcased alongside other like-minded businesses. If you type “sustainable” into the search bar, a plethora of shops and products come up, from kitchen items to artisanal soaps and handmade jewellery. By working with Etsy, you’ll know that the sustainable aspect of your brand will be celebrated and promoted.
Finally, Etsy has a community of like-minded sellers who can help you with their own tips and tricks. Sometimes it can be daunting to grow a business, especially when there are so many existing businesses using these e-commerce platforms.
However, with Etsy you can join a community and meet sellers who perhaps hold the same aims and values for their business. Many sellers choose Etsy because of its stance on environmentalism and their constant evolution towards a more sustainable future. It makes sense that they will be clued into paring down of GHGs in all the related processes from product photography to its (digital) marketing too.
If you’re a small business looking to expand while remaining eco-friendly (and on a side but important note, cost-efficient too), Etsy can help you achieve this with e-commerce sustainability ingrained in its business model.
