Planting seeds of sustainability: Grab’s carbon offset journey

As the spectre of global boiling looms large, innovative partnerships offer a beacon of hope. Grab, a leading superapp in Southeast Asia, and EcoMatcher, a technology-driven tree-planting platform, have forged an alliance in an effort to combat climate change.  
By combining cutting-edge technology with transparency and community engagement, they are planting the seeds of a greener and more resilient future.
“At Grab, we recognise the significant carbon footprint associated with our transportation and delivery services. We are committed to addressing this issue head-on and contributing to a more sustainable planet,” Worachat Luxkanalode, Grab Thailand’s Country Head, told the Bangkok Post.
“Our focus on sustainability does not only support environmental conservation and minimize negative environmental impacts, but also enhances our appeal as a preferred company for employees, business partners and environmentally-conscious users, particularly younger generations,” he added.
As a leading superapp, Grab is dedicated to pioneering sustainable practices. The company aims to lead by example, creating awareness and driving positive change within its ecosystem. 
“Grab is committed to sustainable business practices, focusing on the triple bottom line of people, planet and performance,” said Mr Worachat.
“Our commitment to the planet is reflected in Grab Southeast Asia’s emissions reduction-first approach, aiming for carbon neutrality by 2040.”
Mr Worachat said to achieve this goal, Grab plans to increase the proportion of electric vehicles (EVs) in its fleet in Thailand to 10% by 2026.
Remarkably, the cost of renting EVs, combining battery replacement cost and electricity charging fees, can be up to 50% lower compared to internal combustion engine (ICE)-powered vehicles.
In addition to reducing emissions, Grab is tackling packaging waste.
“We’ve introduced an opt-in feature for plastic use in our food delivery service, and we are committed to eliminating packaging waste in nature by 2040.”
“With our user opt-out plastic cutlery, we reduced plastic cutlery waste from our platform in Bangkok alone by 300 million pieces since the program’s start until 2023,” Mr Worachat said.
Grab Thailand is also exploring opportunities to find recyclable packaging materials for restaurant partners, aiming for economies of scale to reduce costs and encourage broader adoption.
Since July 2021, Grab has introduced a carbon offset feature across Southeast Asia including Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore and Thailand. In Thailand, this feature empowers its users to take action by offsetting their carbon footprint by making a donation of just one or two baht per ride. 
The funds support reforestation and conservation projects managed by local non-governmental organisations. Its dedicated GrabForGood Forests serve as spaces for tree-planting initiatives under this programme.
“Our carbon offset feature is a crucial step in empowering consumers to offset their own carbon footprint while supporting environmental conservation projects and uplifting local communities. It also allows our users to actively participate and learn more about the environment through these initiatives,” Mr Worachat added.
Grab has seen a significant increase in adoption rates — doubling from 2022 to 2023. 
“In 2023 alone, we completed 24 million transactions with the carbon offset feature through our transport and delivery services.” 
During the past years, Grab planted 200,000 trees in Krabi and Mae Hong Son, which is 22 times the number of trees in Benchakitti Park. Its collaboration with EcoMatcher over the past three years has also included tree planting in Mae Hong Son, working with the Royal Forest Department and local partners to select suitable areas and species that benefit both the environment and local communities.
Looking ahead, Grab plans to deepen user engagement by offering options for users to donate and track the growth of individual trees virtually.
Mr Worachat said Grab’s strategy integrates environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles in its business model, reducing CO2 emissions through EVs which helps increase income for riders, reduce plastic waste, and improve restaurant brands through co-marketing efforts.
“By involving users in our carbon offset initiatives, we’re collectively working towards a more sustainable future,” Mr Worachat added.
“EcoMatcher is dedicated to making a positive impact on the planet. By leveraging technology, the platform ensures transparency and accountability in tree-planting projects,” Bas Fransen, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of EcoMatcher, told the Bangkok Post.
Customers can track their individual trees, learn about the communities involved, and even chat with their trees virtually, he added.
“We’re currently expanding our tree-planting initiatives to 14 countries. We aim to make tree planting more accessible. Partnerships with brands like Grab can help us achieve even greater impact to access hundreds of millions of users, mainly in Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia” said Mr Fransen.
Through the Grab app, customers can offset their carbon footprint through carbon credit, and by planting trees. This initiative not only helps reduce emissions but also empowers individuals to take concrete steps toward sustainability.  
In Thailand alone, over 150,000 trees have been planted this year, contributing significantly to carbon reduction and supporting local communities. These trees provide essential ecosystem services, such as improving air quality, conserving biodiversity, and mitigating climate change.
Beyond the environmental benefits, the partnership also has social and economic implications. Tree-planting projects create jobs, improve soil quality, and empower local communities. By involving farmers and rural residents, EcoMatcher and Grab are contributing to sustainable livelihoods and poverty reduction.  
Fransen said at the heart of EcoMatcher’s impact lies a technology platform designed to ensure complete transparency and accountability for our customers.  
“We believe in open and honest practices, and blockchain technology is a cornerstone of our approach,” he added.
The platform is built on several pillars. The first and most crucial is data collection. 
“We’ve developed a user-friendly app called TreeCorder, which we provide free of charge to tree-planting organisations worldwide. This app empowers them to capture detailed information about each tree they plant, including GPS [global positioning system] coordinates, a photo, and the farmer’s details. All this information gets uploaded to a secure cloud-based platform.”
To prevent any fraudulent activity, the company has implemented rigorous data verification measures. Its machine learning algorithms scrutinise every piece of data, flagging inconsistencies or suspicious entries. 
For example, if a tree-planting organisation submits the same photo multiple times, or if a photo depicts grass instead of a tree, the algorithms will immediately raise a red flag.
This meticulous data collection and verification process ensures that every tree planted is accurately recorded. 
“Our customers, such as Grab, have access to this comprehensive data. They can view detailed maps of their planted forests, track individual trees, and even virtually explore their virtual plantations in 3D,” Mr Fransen added.
EcoMatcher’s platform connects companies, tree planters and consumers, fostering transparency and engagement. This approach has proven effective in motivating participation and achieving significant impact.
By offering a user-friendly platform with features like “TreeChat”, a chatbot where tree recipients can talk with the tree, making sustainability fun and engaging. 
The success factors behind such initiatives connect all aspects of the ecosystem — the tree planting, the brands and the consumers — making it fun and engaging, and ensuring it is completely transparent.
More information about the GrabForGood Forest can be found at EcoMatcher.com/GrabTH