An Aberdeen entrepreneur’s carbon footprint app firm has made a breakthrough in the financial services industry.
Royal London Group – the UK’s largest mutual life, pensions and investment company – is rolling out Pawprint for Business app to all employees as part of its climate change commitments and net-zero targets.
Employees can measure, understand and reduce their carbon footprints using the technology on their hand-held devices.
It encourages participation through “eco-sprints” teams and leaderboards.
Businesses, meanwhile, gain insights into their carbon emissions, including from employees’ commuting, business travel and home working.
We have been really impressed by how quickly Royal London employees have embraced Pawprint and started making carbon-friendly choices.”
Christian Arno, chief executive, Pawprint.
Royal London, with around 4,075 employees, is the first mutual to start using the app.
Jo Walker, the group’s environment and sustainability manager, said: “We want to help build a future worth living in.
“We know climate change is the challenge that will define our generation and we all need to take action to curb global carbon emissions.
“We’re pleased to see our colleagues joining Pawprint and helping make a difference by living a more sustainable life.”
As of December 31 2019, Royal London had about 1.6 million members.
Some of them may already be familiar with the Pawprint app, as it is used by a growing number of businesses in a variety of sectors.
The Edinburgh firm behind it was founded and is led by Christian Arno, whose first business – translation firm Lingo24 – got off the ground in his bedroom at his parents’ home in Mannofield, Aberdeen, in 2001.
Other north-east links
Several of the company’s senior management team are from the north-east.
Former Skyscanner growth director Douglas Cook, who hails from Alford, is masterminding Pawprint’s marketing strategy.
Former Wood Mackenzie vice-president Mark McCafferty, originally from Banchory, is head of key relationships.
Finance chief Ross McNay, like Mr Arno, is from Aberdeen.
Big name backers
The firm’s crowdfunders include Skyscanner founder Gareth Williams, BrewDog co-founder James Watt and Hugh Little, the former head of mergers and acquisitions at Aberdeen Asset Management.
Among the angel investors are Scottish entrepreneurs such as Oli Norman, of daily deals and events website itison, and Kevin Dorren, founder and head chef of food plan business Diet Chef.
Pawprint for Business is now being used across virtually every industry here in the UK.”
Pawprint’s “pioneers” initiative aims to attract climate-conscious businesses and organisations that want to become sustainability leaders in their fields, to become early adopters of the technology and “help shape the Pawprint For Business offering”.
Mr Arno, 42, said: “We have been really impressed by how quickly Royal London employees have embraced Pawprint and started making carbon-friendly choices.”
The former Robert Gordon’s College pupil added: “Pawprint for Business is now being used across virtually every industry here in the UK and we are currently crowdfunding to enable us to scale faster and meet the growing demand for climate action.”
Pawprin’s app is scientifically backed by Mike Berners-Lee, a leading authority on carbon data, and is said to be the first “eco companion” tool that encompasses all aspects of life.
Users are presented with a personalised range of challenges and tips to help them choose if and how they make small changes to transition to a lower carbon lifestyle.
