A toilet paper without compromises
We had someone ask how we could be a climate positive organisation if we shipped out toilet paper from China. That is a very fair question, and because likely others are wondering the same thing, we thought it would be helpful to explain what a climate positive organisation is, what the requirements are and what this all means for the environment.
First, EcoRoll is a brand within Ecoware, founded by friends James and Alex, who wanted to see food service do better when it came to single-use packaging. After a decade of campaigning to remove single-use petrochemical plastics in hospitality, they looked to another single-use product—toilet paper. There has been little incentive for innovation and sustainable initiatives, so EcoRoll was their response to an industry that required an update.
We have completed another audit, our third year a Toitū climate positive certified company, Toitū carbonzero certified for 11 years. We invest in emission avoidance projects and offset our emissions by 125%, which will help us all hit our 2050 climate targets. Our partnership with Toitū Envirocare ensures our efforts are audited and accurate. Of course, toilet paper represents just two products, but is accounted for as part of the broader product portfolio and organisation's impact. Our Toitū certification demonstrates our commitment to achieving a circular economy, demonstrating environmental leadership.
Who is Toitū Envirocare?
A team of scientists and business experts leading positive change through a system of robust environmental programmes that are internationally recognised. Their programmes and methodologies are also internationally recognised. ICROA accredited, Toitū’s emissions reductions and offsetting programmes are independently validated to meet the highest international standards of environmental integrity and in support of the Paris Agreement. Toitū’s certifications are aligned with globally recognised standards such as: ISO 14064: For the quantification and reporting of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, ISO 14067: For carbon footprinting of products and PAS 2050: For assessing life cycle greenhouse gas emissions.
Toitū Envirocare is also a Certified B Corporation®.
What is a Toitū climate positive certified organisation?
We must demonstrate progress towards science-aligned reduction targets on a three year cycle to maintain climate positive level certification. This means we must reduce our emissions and environmental impact of doing business. It is not possible for example, to just purchase carbon credits. The commitment: a reduction in GHG emissions intensity for Scope 1, Scope 2 and mandatory Scope 3 emissions of 10% relative to the base year.
To achieve Toitū climate positive certification, we must:
— Reduce emissions by setting and achieving science-aligned reduction targets for direct and value chain emissions
— Compensate for our footprint fully, offsetting emissions within the Toitū carbon boundary, plus an additional 25%. A total of 125%
— Contribute to wider environmental and social outcomes (equivalent to the cost of offsetting 75% of the organisation or product footprint).
What is the difference between carbon offsetting and carbon credits?
They are not the same thing, though people who are unaware will use the terms interchangeably.
A carbon offset is a token representing greenhouse gases “avoided”, or “removed” which results in the creation of less carbon. A carbon offset represents one metric tonne of carbon dioxide or equivalent greenhouse gases avoided or removed. Carbon offsetting is a vehicle for investing in emissions-cutting projects that remove greenhouse gasses from the atmosphere.
A carbon credit is a tradable instrument (typically a virtual permit) that conveys the right to emit one metric ton of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases. Carbon credits allow claims to be transferred from an entity that generated the avoided emissions or enhanced removals to a buyer of that credit. The buyer of a carbon credit can then “retire” it to count the avoided emissions or enhanced removals towards a climate change mitigation goal.
We engage in carbon offset programmes representing more-direct emission reductions. You can read more about the fundamentals of carbon offsetting and carbon credits here.
How do carbon markets work?
There are broadly two types of carbon markets on which offsets can be traded, the compliance market and the voluntary carbon market.
The “compliance market”, often referred to as mandatory or regulatory markets are regulated and involve emissions reductions that are mandated by law, supported by agreed standards and count towards national or sub-national targets. Carbon credits are created and issued by a regulatory body in charge of implementing and overseeing a compliance market in a particular jurisdiction, such as a cap-and-trade system. Companies can buy and sell allowances from – and to – each other within this market. In some cases they can also buy approved offsets from external emission-cutting projects to stay within their limits. Carbon credits are generally traded in compliance markets.
The second type of carbon market is the “voluntary carbon market”, where offsets are used by corporations, individuals and organisations that are under no legal mandate to make emission reductions. Voluntary markets operate outside of but in parallel with compulsory markets, allowing the trading of carbon offsets that are not bought or sold on the compulsory markets to meet greenhouse gas emissions requirements imposed by regulatory bodies.
Validating offsetting projects
Before a project can sell carbon offsets in the voluntary market, the project must first enroll and be registered with a voluntary carbon offset program, often also referred to as a registry. There are several voluntary carbon offset programs that register projects in the United States, including the American Carbon Registry, Verified Carbon Standard (Verra), the Gold Standard Impact Registry, and the Climate Action Reserve. Each program has its own criteria, methodologies, and protocol for quantifying the greenhouse gas emssions reductions of a project, but programs often look to international sustainability programs as well as domestic certification standards for registration standards and requirements.
Toitū has more information on their website: Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative, 2021: Consultation Report: Aligning Voluntary Carbon Markets with the 1.5C Paris Agreement Ambition.
How programmes's like Toitū's can help tackle climate change
Nearly every country in the world has set out plans under the Paris Agreement to cut its emissions. Aotearoa New Zealand has The Zero Carbon Bill. In 2019, the coalition government introduced the Zero Carbon Bill, under which Governments will be mandated to reduce emissions to “net zero” by 2050 to limit global warming increases to 1.5C. However, biological methane – methane from agriculture and waste is treated differently and excluded. Aotearoa New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions have increased by 14% since 1990. And by comparison, emissions have decreased by 22% across the European Union and 40% in the United Kingdom over the same period. Climate Action Tracker rates the commitment to the goal, to date as poor.
Through our commitment to carbon positive organisation certification, we are aligning our business to science-based targets—the level of decarbonisation required as per the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global warming below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5°C. This is to first demonstrate a commitment to reducing emissions (activities related to our business operations) and then to compensate for what emissions we create, purchase carbon offsets to help companies supplement our greenhouse gas missions reduction efforts. As per the compulsory market, all carbon offsets that are traded in the voluntary market must be verified by an independent third party and must be developed and calculated according to one of the existing standards.
Currently, climate-related disclosures are only mandatory for some large financial market participants. But what would it mean if the requirement went beyond large publicly listed companies, insurers, banks, non-bank deposit takers and investment managers to include businesses producing, selling and shipping products?
Why EcoRoll toilet paper?
Are you becoming increasingly disappointed with the toilet paper you are buying at the supermarket? People purchase ecoroll for various reasons. Some are environmental, for the reasons discussed above, others more practical because our toilet paper is delivered in bulk and the delivery is quick. For most, subscribing to ecoroll is the “easiest eco-friendly switch” one could make. EcoRoll is hypoallergenic, and for some, that is a huge positive, but it is also due to the fact we do not use bleach or other additives that you might find in other tissue paper products that can cause irritations. Our toilet paper is:
✅ A Toitū climate positive certified organisation
✅ Lab certified PFAS-free, confirmed by SGS (Société Générale de Surveillance SA, Switzerland)
✅ Super soft 100% bamboo
✅ Arrives plastic-free at your door
✅ Skip or adjust subscription frequency
✅ Save 10% on all subscription orders
Ready to make the switch? Start your subscription.
Not ready to commit ongoing? Use the code 10OFF to save 10% on your first one-off purchase.
Nature photographs by Annie Spratt on Unsplash.
