The internet powers how we work, connect, and live—it also has an environmental impact. As a tech company that helps people embrace their best digital lives, we know that responsibility extends beyond our product, it includes the impact it has on our planet.

That’s why this World Environment Day, we’re proud to share that Shift is now a carbon-neutral company.

To be clear, this isn’t a finish line announcement, and we’re not claiming to have everything figured out. It’s the start of a longer journey, one where we’re learning, adjusting, and holding ourselves accountable along the way. We’re committed to sustainability, not as a trend, but as a responsibility, and that commitment doesn’t begin and end on a single day.

Building better online lives also means building more sustainable ones, and that starts with owning our impact.

Why carbon neutrality matters—and how we’re starting

Pursuing carbon neutrality is our way of recognizing that the digital world has a very real environmental impact. Global internet usage consumes an estimated 2.6 trillion litres of water annually. While we’re still early in this journey, we believe that the best road forward is to take ownership of our emissions now, while actively planning for how to reduce them in the future.

In practice, pursuing carbon neutrality means we’ve taken the first step of measuring our carbon footprint to fully understand the scale of our impact. From there, we’ve begun investing in high-quality carbon offset projects that help neutralize the emissions we can’t yet eliminate. These projects help accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy, and investing in them provides funding to climate initiatives that may not receive it otherwise…but more on the specific project details later.

We know carbon offsets are not an all-in-one solution, but they are a step towards our goals. Our goal is to move from offsetting to reducing, guided by a commitment to learn and evolve as we go.

Digital solutions could help reduce global emissions by up to 20% by 2050, by improving efficiency, enabling smarter resource management, and driving systemic change. At Shift, we believe the same technology shaping our future can, and must, be harnessed to protect it. Offsets only go so far. We want to spark real change in tech, so we set up the $25,000 Shift Impact Grant—to put cash and support into sustainability projects that actually move the needle for our planet.

The goal is to enable other tech leaders to join us in learning more and taking practical steps for a healthier planet.

Related Post: The Carbon Footprint of the Internet: How Your Data Usage Emits CO2

Our climate action partners

Our journey to carbon neutrality isn’t one we’re taking alone. Collaboration is key to creating lasting change, and we’ve teamed up with some incredible climate action partners.

• Synergy Enterprises: A leader in strategic climate action planning, Synergy helps us track our carbon dioxide emissions accurately and develop a tangible plan to start moving toward our goals. Their expertise ensures we’re aligned with best practices and global standards as we work.
• Carbonzero: We’re proud to invest in credible, high-quality carbon offset projects through Carbonzero. The Great Bear Forest Carbon project and Low Carbon Cement Solutions are projects that deliver real, measurable benefits for the planet, like restoring ecosystems, reducing emissions, and investing in long-term solutions.

Together, these partnerships ensure that our climate action is more than just talk. It’s a commitment backed by science, strategy, and tangible environmental outcomes. Promises are easy; proof is harder. That’s why our partners crunch the numbers and make sure each milestone actually means something.

Our sustainability journey’s timeline and milestones so far

2024

We established our carbon baseline—2,272 tonnes of CO₂e—giving us a clear picture of where we stand and where we need to go. This foundational step helped us understand the true impact of our operations and set the stage for meaningful reductions

2025

We’re Supporting verified carbon removal projects:

• The Great Bear Forest Carbon Project: This initiative supports the preservation of one of the world’s largest temperate rainforests. It’s not just about reducing carbon; it’s about protecting biodiversity and supporting Indigenous stewardship. The project is fighting for changes in land-use legislation to safeguard ecosystems for future generations that would otherwise have been logged.
• Low Carbon Cement Solutions: We’re investing in innovative, sustainable industrial solutions that drive a circular economy and reduce emissions in the built environment. Cement production is one of the world’s largest sources of carbon emissions, so finding greener alternatives is critical to tackling the climate crisis.

2025/2026

With Synergy’s guidance, we’ll develop a clear, actionable emissions reduction strategy, one that aligns with our long-term sustainability goals and ensures we stay accountable at every step of the journey.

Come learn with us

We know this is only the beginning. Our commitment to carbon neutrality is part of a larger learning journey, and we want to continually adjust and explore ways to improve.

Want to be part of the change? Subscribe to our new Re: Earth newsletter for monthly insights on digital sustainability, curated eco-tech innovations, and simple online habits that can shape a healthier planet. Together, let’s explore and learn how our everyday choices online can help build a better world.

Subscribe here