At the Tallinn Digital Summit, 33 Estonian technology companies signed a “green pledge”, promising to take their operations to a completely environmentally sustainable basis by 2030.
The companies signed the pledge on 17 September at a digital summit, taking place in the Estonian capital, Tallinn. The signed agreement will be handed over to the Estonian president, Kersti Kaljulaid, who will be participating at the UN Climate Summit on 23 September in New York.
Prioritising the environment
“The tech companies have taken this step considering the scale of global climate and environmental challenges, and willing to express their shared desire to find innovative solutions to these acute problems,” the signatories said in a statement. “With the Green Pledge, the Estonian technology sector is prioritising the environment as an integral part of their business. More specific targets and an action plan to complement the pledge will be compiled by the end of 2019.”
A total of 33 technology companies and organisations joined the Tech Green Pledge: Autlo, Bolt, Cachet, Cash On Go, Corle, Cybernetica, Cybexer Technologies, E-Governance Academy, eAgronom, Empower, Evocon, Fundwise, GoSwift, Guardtime, Icefire, Lift99, Pactum, Proud Engineers, RaulWalter, Reverse Resources, SK ID Solutions, Skeleton Technologies, Stigo, Telia, The Exit Academy, Thorgate Management, Topia, TransferWise, Veriff, Weekdone, WePower, Xolo and Yaga.
“All companies are responsible for environmental and climate issues. New technologies are playing an increasing role in reducing the environmental impact of human activities,” Martin Ruubel, the president of Guardtime, a software security company, said in a statement. “The Estonian tech companies are already doing a lot to monitor, measure and mitigate environmental impacts; however, with the Green Pledge, we promise to do our utmost to bring about even greater positive change.”
A change in economic models
According to one of the signatories, Martin Villig, the cofounder of Bolt, a transportation network company, climate change will also bring along a change in economic models. “Tech companies can manage change by acting more sustainably on their own or by providing technology solutions to that end to others. We want to develop a technical climate and environmental index that will provide companies with important information about the environmental footprint that they produce,” Villig said in a statement.
According to Robert Pajos, the CEO of Telia Estonia, a telecommunications company, further work will be done in full cooperation with all interested parties and experts who share the same values and can help achieve the set goals. “Innovative digital solutions make it possible to modernise also rather carbon-intensive industries, such as for example logistics and agriculture,” he said.
The signatories added that all like-minded domestic as well as international tech companies are invited to join the pledge.
Cover: The Estonian tech companies pledged to get green at the Tallinn Digital Summit on 17 September. From right: Luukas Ilves (Guardtime), Hedi Mardisoo (Cachet), Janer Gorohhov (Veriff), Katrin Isotamm (Telia).
