It's time to act - now.
Our planet is in crisis.
1.5
Degrees
Rising global temperatures
Global temperatures have been consistently rising since the industrial era, largely attributed to increased levels of carbon dioxide and other man-made emissions into the atmosphere. Rising global temperatures lead to stronger storms, harm to nature, and health risks for people around the world.
To prevent worsening and potentially irreversible effects of climate change, the world's average temperature can not exceed that of preindustrial times by more than 1.5 degrees.
(Source: NASA)
420
billion tons per year
Melting polar ice caps
Antarctica is losing ice mass at an average rate of about 150 billion tons per year, and Greenland is losing about 270 billion tons per year, adding to sea level rise. Melting ice caps have caused sea levels to rise by 98 mm since 1993. This rising water can flood coastal homes, wipe out beaches, and threaten the homes of entire communities and our wildlife.
(Source: NASA)
$140bn
cost caused by human-caused global heating
Increasing severe weather events
As Earth’s climate changes, it is impacting extreme weather across the planet. Record-breaking heat waves on land and in the ocean, drenching rains, severe floods, years-long droughts, extreme wildfires, and widespread flooding during hurricanes are all becoming more frequent and more intense.
(Source: NASA)
41000
species in threat of extinction
Loss of biodiversity
Climate change has altered marine, terrestrial, and freshwater ecosystems around the world. It has caused the loss of local species, increased diseases, and driven mass mortality of plants and animals, resulting in the first climate-driven extinctions.
(Source: United Nations)
These are no longer future scenarios,
but the reality we face today.
The world is becoming a hostile one
for future generations.
This is the reality we must change.
We believe
Philanthropy isn't enough to save the planet.
Until now, philanthropy has been the way to go for entrepreneurs to show their commitment to social causes after a successful exit of a company. However, addressing the global climate crisis needs more than that and earlier. It’s time for hard commitments - that goes beyond philanthropy.
Change must be systemic - it must come from within.
The fight against climate change is about fundamentally rethinking and reshaping business models, practices, and values. We need a more sustainable and healthy capitalism, one that values our planet's health as much as economic growth. We need to treat the earth as if it was our shareholder.
Companies have to take on more responsibility.
Tech companies, with their outsized influence on the economy and minimal direct emissions (as they don’t have to produce products), can't just stop at achieving net zero. They have a distinct responsibility and the means to go beyond, becoming nature positive.
It's time for a new entrepreneurial playbook.
If we prove that companies that commit 1% of their revenues to fight climate change are more successful than companies that don’t, we can change the system from within and for the better. Ultimately leading to other companies and founder generations to follow our lead and rewrite the entrepreneurial playbook.

Imagine,

>$1.7Tn combined revenue of the 10 biggest US-based tech companies in 2022
Our Belief
The Return to Earth pledge
down

our pledge
This doesn't mean that we have to throw away all our principles, this doesn't mean that we have to get rid of capitalism

our pledge
and this especially doesn't mean that we don't want companies to be commercially successful.

our pledge
We think that being commercially successful and doing good - for both society and the planet - go hand in hand.
Even more, we think companies that do good will be the more successful ones going forward.

our pledge
We need a sustainable and more
healthy capitalism.
The way we spend our money and time have a huge impact on the planet. And the best talent of tomorrow will want to spend their time working for a company where they feel they contribute to something meaningful. And where they know all their hard work is driving change.
Not every company can be an impact company. But every company can do something and play a meaningful part in something larger than themselves and in driving change.

