People, Planet and Partnerships: How Partnering with GNFZ Will Pave an Accelerated Path to Zero
Our CEO Mahesh has long believed that “partnership is the new leadership.” And when I first heard him say this while working at the U.S. Green Building Council, I knew I’d met the right leader. In fact, it’s this same lasting sentiment of his that inspired me to join him at GNFZ as its Vice President of Community Development.
At GNFZ, we are working to ensure people understand that, as former ULI Global Chair Peter Ballon notes, complete decarbonization is going to require collaboration over competition, and perhaps most importantly, that the best way to face the increasing challenges of our existential crisis is with incremental, accelerated actions from all of us.
Put simply, we are actively looking for partners — partners who want to help businesses around the world implement best-in-class net zero solutions, who are passionate about scaling these evidence-based solutions to accelerate the 2015 Paris Agreement targets and who are strongly committed to eliminating longstanding market barriers that have historically stifled access to net zero success.
Why Partners Are Crucial
Our team has identified a “Net Zero No Man’s Land” — a time in which we have broad, sweeping declarations made without viable roadmaps reinforced with ESG reporting and greater transparency, combined with the collision course of two phenomena when it comes to amplification (or lack thereof).
As such, the climate action landscape is more complex and confusing than ever. Some companies are well intentioned but have no idea where the most cost effective and efficient entry points reside. Some need assistance in developing approaches with an ROI robust enough to win over stakeholders. Some are only tackling Scope 1 and 2 emissions, yet are claiming net zero achievement. Meanwhile, others are failing to properly disclose their Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions with a timeline even remotely in line with UN SDGs, often padding their commitments, a corporate behavioral stunt we now all know as greenwashing. And then there are the companies who are resorting to “greenhushing” their good work, which is when organizations downplay the veracity of their sustainability work to avoid losing state or federal funding or being on the punitive end of a political tantrum.
These complications are not only creating greater stagnancy in the sustainability movement, but they are leaving a gaping hole in the path to zeroing the world’s carbon emissions. If well intentioned entities want to do well but don’t know how to do it, if the more nefarious actors have shown no willingness to shape up and others are silencing themselves, then what’s next?
Well, that’s up to all of us. Going it alone is not going to allow the world to achieve acceleration in the time necessary to avert disaster. And let’s face it: Business leaders have a lot on their plate. From more and more stakeholder mandates, to new regulations and laws, to needing net zero solutions that future proof assets and yield results as soon as possible, to wanting actionable ways to be leaders in ESG, both the obstacles and the incentives are unprecedented. The only way forward is to secure concrete collaborations that eliminate barriers, deliver progress, and empower everyone to lead and live by example.
What GNFZ Partners Offer
From Habitech and Get Consulting in Europe, to Bee Incorporations in Asia, to Three in our Latin American market, to Engineering Economics, Inc. right here in the United States, GNFZ Partners are expert organizations from across the globe. These incredible partners have vast experience leading clients and businesses through net zero achievements and have come to our platform because of its singular differentiators in efficiency and access — and quite frankly, because they can expect delivery on significant, accelerated net zero solutions for their clients.
Our partners are able to offer their clients unprecedented net zero implementation support, validation, and review on the decentralized platform. This includes access to our flagship offering — a net zero certification for existing buildings — that empowers clients and stakeholders to take a critical leadership role in decarbonizing the world’s highest emitting sector, and that by year’s end, will be expanding to certification for end-to-end business operations.
Clients can expect unparalleled progress in their net zero journeys – akin to the results from GNFZ’s landmark collaboration with SRK. Based in Surat, India, SRK is one of the world’s leading diamond crafting companies. We are not only helping them accelerate their 2030 net zero goal for their two primary facilities, SRK Empire and SRK House, by a full six years, but we are also providing support between them and potential partners on the platform. We also provide amplification of their brand by helping them market and position themselves and are working with them to fulfill their UN SDG goals.
What Sets GNFZ Apart
GNFZ is the only net zero platform and community in the world that leaves no person, building, or organization behind. And just as importantly, our vision of leadership in the net zero space is rooted in a mission and a set of values designed to engage and harness our collective passion.
In a society where patent infringement is clouding the effective distribution of medicine to the most vulnerable among us, where people and planet are suffering the long-term health consequences from the emissions of barely 100 major polluters, and where the grim predictions of climate scientists are often eclipsed by the legacy PR machines perpetuating a false global reliance on fossil fuels, the only way we can fight back is by joining forces to educate, empower, and embolden the world to zero.
GNFZ is dedicated to leading that collaborative charge and to effectively ending the gatekeeping and the hoarding of resources, best practices, tools, education, and mutually beneficial relationships. With our growing international network of partners, we are no longer just knocking at the gates — we are expanding this community and knocking them over all together.
I welcome you to explore what a partnership could look like for you, your organization, and the clients you serve. Please visit our site to learn more about GNFZ and how to become a partner — and please feel free to reach out to me directly at sonja@gn-zero.com to further discuss business development opportunities, the benefits of our certification processes and what incremental action plans are right for your goals.