We are only six years away from 2030 - the year which will mark the deadline for the goals set out in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Agenda 2030 was meant as global endeavor to coordinate collective action for a better tomorrow – and if we stand together, we can still achieve it. And it is now or never: United Nations executive climate secretary Simon Stiell said only last week that we have two years left to save the world. Although this is a bold claim, it highlights again: We need to act now, there are no more excuses and no postponing to tomorrow.
Sustainability versus regeneration
At Impact Hero, we strongly believe that we all, individuals and companies, need to go beyond what is required by law. As private people, we might not be allowed to throw waste in the street and harm others directly – but apart from that, we are pretty much free to consume and travel as we like. As companies, we (rightly so!) now have to comply with a growing amount of regulation in the areas of ESG (environmental, social, governance). And beyond the legally required part? As humans, we might try to do less harm, reach “net zero” by decreasing our negative impact on the world via choosing local food options, taking the train and separating waste. As companies, we might do R&D on more efficient technologies, along with including impact solutions in business processes, try to reduce single-use plastics in the office, install an e-fleet of corporate cars. We try to do things more sustainably, do less damage.
Regeneration encourages us to contribute to making [the Earth] a better place, and a key step is aligning business operations with the UN Sustainable Development Goals to drive meaningful, holistic impact. But how can this be our vision for the world, for the economy, for ourselves? How can be our only goal to become less harmful to our society & planet, to make it a bit more bearable that we walk this planet? Why don’t we think beyond that and ask ourselves: How can we become a part of the regeneration project? How can we actually contribute to rebuilding, safeguarding and transforming our world and become true activists and drivers of positive change?
A new motivation
And isn’t this a completely new motivator? Not simply trying to do less of the bad, to be less harmful to planet and people, but to actually regenerate our planet and society? Every one has a role to play - and instead of simply preaching to reduce our large, negative footprint - we want to incentivize companies and private people alike to leave a handprint, to leave a positive and colourful print in the history of the planet, to shape our own and individual positive contribution to the future. We can all become Impact Heroes - if we think out of the box, beyond compliance and offsetting, if we re-think our relationship with Mother Earth and humanity.
We are proud partners of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and strongly support the EU Nature Restoration Law which was published last month, highlighting again the international commitment to rebuilding what was lost and protecting what is under stress. But regenerating the world does not just mean putting nature under protection and restoring landscapes - it means much more than this. It is about finding new ways of co-existence, of finding a new approach to economic activity which does not externalize consequences for nature and people - but which tries to use business for good.
And world regeneration is about more than just environmental sustainability. It encompasses a holistic approach to addressing the interconnected challenges facing our planet, including climate change, biodiversity loss, social injustice, and economic inequality. By actively restoring ecosystems, supporting marginalized communities, and fostering sustainable practices, we can create a world where both people and planet thrive – and where we re-think the status quo.
ImpactHero offers a range of solutions that directly contribute to this crucial goal. Our platform enables businesses to fund impactful projects that safeguard vulnerable ecosystems and their inhabitants. For instance, through our reforestation initiatives, we collaborate with local communities to plant diverse species of trees, creating thriving habitats for wildlife Additionally, our marine conservation efforts actively restore coral reefs and protect endangered marine life, preserving the richness of aquatic biodiversity By integrating these solutions into their operations, businesses can play a vital role in protecting biodiversity, ensuring a healthier planet for generations to come.
The Impact Hero Approach
At Impact Hero, our solutions are designed to benefit world regeneration at its core – aligned with the SDGs and measured via our own impact KPIs. Imagine every survey filled would restore a baby coral in Indonesia or for every application a tree would be planted in Tanzania. Connecting little actions with impact can scale great momentum for all the SDGs. With all our impact products, we want to make a change which will not only reduce some of the damage done but will also rebuild and counter future incentives for further damage. By working with communities, financing education on nature protection and climate change and promoting solutions which will benefit people and planet alike, we want to leave a colorful trace, our Impact Hero mark, in all the different SDG colors. We know that what we do is only a small puzzle piece in a big picture – and that supporting regeneration initiatives does not excuse anybody from identifying and decreasing any sources of harm one might burden our world with. But we want to create a movement which inspires, in which we feel empowered – and which gives our children inspiration to build a better tomorrow.
We do not want to tell a newborn: You can try to destroy a bit less than us. We want to tell our children and youth: Be bold, re-think the status quo – and become an Impact Hero by contributing to regenerating our precious world.
From Impact with Love,
Your Impact Hero Team
