Treedom srl

Treedom is the only web platform in the world to allow its users to have someone plant a tree for them that they can then follow online.

Treedom engages individuals and companies in financing the planting of new trees. Treedom has introduced innovation and transparency in a sector like charity, still based on old-fashion concepts, transforming a good deed into a modern tool of communication and engagement.

Treedom's system guarantees the highest transparency and visibility for every initiative. On Treedom.net every user can finance the planting of trees, providing smallholder farmers around the world with direct social and economic benefits.

After being planted by a local farmer, each tree is geolocalized so that users can follow it through updates and pictures, always visible on the web and made shareable on social networks, giving a contribution in the reduction of CO2 emission.

Trees provide environmental and social benefits, fighting climate change and absorbing CO2 emissions. Thanks to Treedom, thousands of farmers in developing countries can plant fruit trees, guaranteeing food security and extra income.

Treedom is a bridge between local farmers and contributors, taking a fee for each tree planted. Giving less fortunate farmers the possibility to get financing.

Up to date, we have planted 329.780 trees in 16 reforestation projects involving 19.398 farmers. We now have 71.952 consumers that adopting offset CO2 emissions. 342 market leaders across several sectors have built forests with Treedom to reach goals in CSR, marketing and communication.

A main environmental contribution is an absorption by each tree of CO2, that considering the 329.780 planted can be estimated at 128.605 tons. Treedom positive effects on combating climate change are also its communication activities in raising awareness of consumers, companies and their employees and the general public on the issues of CO2 emission.

In fact, it offers different information tools, for example in Treedom's website there is a session dedicated to the calculation of CO2 emission each person create in its daily activities. The spread of Treedom message at the moment involve:
- 71.950 users
- 342 businesses
- 19.398 farmers
- 69.384 followers on the social network

Treedom has received several grant and awards, among which:
- €500,000 grant in 2013 from AECF. The AECF is part of the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and has been supported by governments (Australia, Canada, Denmark, The Netherlands, Sweden and United Kingdom), and international financial institutions (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor and IFAD). Financed by the Bill & Melinda Gates, Rockefeller Foundations Form Alliance to Help Spur “Green Revolution” in Africa.

- Credit Suisse, "Private Innovative Circle 2016". Treedom was selected as one of the 10 pioneering growing company in the world. The Private Innovation Circle, instituted by Credit Suisse in 2014, showcases excellence in innovation, facilitates the exchange of ideas and fosters networking. Its aim is to build a thriving community of successful innovators and entrepreneurs who engage with and benefit from each other on a regular basis.

- Bcorp "Best for the world 2016" in the environment category. There are 1,800-plus businesses around the world that have undergone the B Impact Assessment and certified as B Corporations , as verified by the independent nonprofit B Lab* . The B Impact Assessment gives companies a score based on how they perform on metrics for impact on their communities, the environment, workers and customers. Companies that scored in the top 10 per cent for their focus and impact on the environment received the Bcorp "Best for the world 2016" prize in the environment category

What are the activities and experience of the organisation in the areas relevant for this application? What are the skills and expertise of key staff/persons involved in this application?
Treedom has realized several technological projects among which:

In order to check on its projects and to acquire environmental data, Treedom has developed various tools and has started scientific collaborations.

Every planted Tree is mapped thanks to a software for GPS devices, which was developed internally by Treedom. This allows registering important information about the tree such as picture, the species, latitude and longitude, date of transplant, the farmer who planted it. All data is then approved by Treedom and posted on the web platform, thus giving the users a variety of information about the plant they have purchased.

In collaboration with the University of Tuscia, Treedom has developed a software that can calculate the CO2 storage capability of single trees in different environments, starting from input on the tree species, the host country, the temperature and rainfall index.

On the web platform, a calculator can be used to estimate CO2 emissions for all main daily activities: transportation, energy use, food and beverages and several other products. The database is regularly updated and allows users to estimate their own CO2 daily emissions and, if they want, they can then neutralize them using their trees. Treedom has also created ad hoc CO2 calculators, for example, to estimate the CO2 emissions of an event or of air transportation in real time. https://www.treedom.net/en/co2

Finally, Treedom has started a research program with IBIMET CNR (entirely financed by the Toscana Region) in order to create a low-cost instrument to monitor different kinds of pollution. In particular, thanks to different types of low-cost sensors, a system will be developed to gather pollution data; all data will be made easily accessible and usable in real time.

Moreover, Treedom with its partner is daily managing forestation project in developing countries or disadvantaged area (Italy, Kenya, Haiti, Malawi, Cameroon, Nepal, Senegal, Argentina, Kenya, Burkina Faso https://www.treedom.net/en/projects) in cooperation with local communities.