In recent years, many public and private organizations have taken a stronger stance on environmental issues, with some announcing ambitious goals like achieving Carbon Neutrality and Net Zero Emissions. The reason behind this is clear: the escalating environmental crisis. Global warming, natural disasters, and extreme weather events like El Niño and La Niña are becoming more frequent and severe. Business activities, industrial operations, and even everyday human routines have contributed to carbon emissions, both directly and indirectly.

As a digital platform serving millions across Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Grab is actively committed to addressing environmental concerns through its policies and initiatives. At first glance, it might seem that Grab, as a mobile app, has minimal environmental impact since its primary role is to connect users with merchants and driver-partners through ride-hailing and delivery services. However, it’s undeniable that the vehicles involved in these services contribute to carbon emissions. That’s why in 2022, Grab announced its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Goals to minimize environmental impact. The company aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040 through four key levers including Transitioning to low-emission vehicles; Utilizing renewable energy in its offices; Adopting technology that promotes sustainability; and Implementing carbon avoidance and removal programs.

From Small Donations to Green Forests with Over 200,000 Trees

One of Grab’s flagship environmental initiatives is the Carbon Offset Programme, which has been running for over three years. This programme allows Grab users to make a small donation with each ride, contributing directly to purchasing high-quality carbon credits and tree planting efforts. In addition, Grab transforms these donations into trees in partnership with EcoMatcher. With their technology, everyone can track and monitor the trees they’ve helped plant. To date, these efforts have resulted in the establishment of the GrabForGood Forest.

Worachat Luxkanalode, Country Head of Grab Thailand, explained, “Grab launched the Carbon Offset Programme in Thailand in 2021, allowing users to contribute two baht per car ride or one baht per food delivery or motorcycle ride. These donations go towards purchasing high-quality carbon credits, helping offset the carbon emissions generated by Grab services, and our tree planting projects to support forest conservation.”

“Since its introduction, the programme has received quite a positive response. In 2023, the number of donations nearly doubled compared to the previous year, with over 24 million transactions from both transport and delivery services. The donations have been used to purchase carbon credits and fund tree-planting activities with our partners, EcoMatcher and Conserve Natural Forests (CNF). These partners use technology to track tree locations , ensuring transparency. To date, we’ve planted over 200,000 trees in Thailand, primarily in Krabi and Mae Hong Son,” added Worachat.

Making Tree-Planting Accessible, Transparent, and Fun with Technology

While EcoMatcher may not be a familiar name, the green-tech platform has been operating for over eight years, connecting brands with organizations specializing in tree-planting. Their mission spans 14 countries across Africa, South America, the Middle East, and Asia, where trees are planted by local farmers and rural communities. EcoMatcher’s technology provides detailed data about each tree, including its location, species, and the profile of the planter. Users can even “talk” to trees using TreeChat, a chatbot feature.

Bas Fransen, Founder and CEO of EcoMatcher, shared, “EcoMatcher was created to change the way corporate gifts are given, replacing plastic items with something of both sentimental and environmental value. We’ve partnered with organizations specializing in tree-planting to develop TreeCorder, a blockchain-based app that collects data on every tree planted. This fosters transparency and is especially valuable for brands like Grab, which encourages users to contribute to carbon offsetting. Through our platform, users can easily see the impact of their contributions.”

Celebrating Zero Emissions Day with Community Action

In celebration of Zero Emissions Day on September 21, Grab Thailand partnered with EcoMatcher and Conserve Natural Forests (CNF) to organize a tree-planting activity in Krabi’s Khao Phanom Bencha National Park. This event brought together Grab employees, drivers, local communities, and forest officials to increase green spaces and inspire everyone to take small steps towards a sustainable future.

“This fun and engaging activity not only increases green spaces but also provides opportunities for people in our ecosystem to take small actions that can lead to big changes for a more sustainable world,” Worachat concluded.

Grab users can join the Carbon Offset Programme by toggling on the feature within the app. More information about the GrabForGood Forest can be found at EcoMatcher.com/GrabTH