2. Scope

This policy applies to all levels and functions we do as a business - not just the products we build.

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It covers:

• Our own operations: energy use, hardware, travel, and procurement.

• The products and services we create and their direct and indirect environmental effects.

• The partners, suppliers, and funders we choose to work with.

• The communities and ecosystems our products interact with.

3. Our Nature Principles

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3.1 Do No Harm First

Before we consider any offsetting or mitigation, we ask: can we avoid the harm entirely? Avoidance is always preferable to compensation. We do not treat carbon credits or environmental donations as a licence to cause harm.

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3.2 Consider the Whole System

Nature does not divide neatly into land, sea, and air - and neither do we. When assessing the impact of our work, we consider the implications of our footprint across entire ecosystems, not just the most visible ones. A digital product can drive tangible outcomes and behavioural designs; we take full accountability and responsibility for that chain of effect.

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3.3 Centre Living Organisms

Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth and the foundation of all healthy ecosystems. We explicitly consider the impact of our decisions on biotic and abiotic life: wildlife, insects, marine creatures, plants, and fungi. If a project imposes a threat to a species or its habitat, that concern is raised and addressed before we proceed.

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3.4 Question Our Infrastructure

Digital platforms have a significant carbon and resource footprint. We actively seek low-impact alternatives: renewable-powered hosting, efficient code, minimal data storage, and hardware that is repaired and reused rather than replaced.

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3.5 Amplify, Don't Greenwash

Where our products can support conservation, environmental education, or ecological restoration, we lean in. But we never overstate our environmental credentials. Transparency and honesty about our footprint is more valuable than a sensational sustainability story.

4. Our Commitments

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4.1 Operations

• Host to all products and services on verified renewable energy infrastructure where available.

• Measure and publish our carbon footprint annually, including Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions.

• Default to remote-first working to reduce the human footprint.

• Purchase only refurbished hardware where full functionality is possible.

• Avoid single-use plastics and unnecessary physical materials in our operations.

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4.2 Product Decisions

• Conduct a Nature Impact Check for every new product or major feature before development begins.

• Refuse projects that we believe will cause net harm to ecosystems or biodiversity, regardless of commercial opportunity.

• Build with efficiency in mind - lighter, faster code uses less energy.

• Avoid deceptive user interface designs that drive unnecessary consumption or waste.

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4.3 Partnerships & Procurement

• Screen suppliers and partners for environmental standards and exclude those with a history of significant ecological harm.

• Prioritise working with organisations that are actively engaged in conservation, regenerative practice, or environmental justice.

• Decline funding or investment from industries whose core business aspirations cause significant environmental destruction.

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4.4 Awareness & Education

• Ensure every team member understands this policy and receives onboarding experience relevant to their role's environmental impact.

• Invite external voices - ecologists, conservation organisations, indigenous land stewards - to inform our thinking.

• Share what we learn publicly, to contribute to the wider movement for responsible tech.

5. The Nature Impact Check

Before developing any significant new product, feature, or partnership, the Nature Steward conducts a Nature Impact Check.

 

This is a short, honest assessment that solicits:

 

• Could this product or feature encourage behaviour that harms natural environments?

• Does it involve or interact with industries that extract from or degrade ecosystems?

• What is the likely energy footprint of running and maintaining the scale of production?

• Does it affect land use, supply chains, or physical infrastructure with ecological consequences?

• Are there communities - human or non-human - whose habitat could be disrupted?

 

The outcome of this check is documented and shared with the full team. It is not a bureaucratic hurdle - it is a chance to design better from the start.

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