Ecofye was one of the award winners from 3,000 technology initiatives worldwide to be awarded the UNESCO Netexplo Innovation Awards 2022. The innovation Forum 2022 showcased 10 breakthrough digital innovations with the potential of profound and lasting impact on the digital society.
The Innovation Forum, which UNESCO and Netexplo Observatory have co-hosted since 2011, addresses challenges relating to digital developments and seeks to harness them to build inclusive knowledge societies and support sustainable development.
Netexplo was founded in 2007, by Martine Bidegain and Thierry Happe with the support of the French Senate and Ministry of Innovation and the Digital Economy. It is an independent observatory that studies the impact of digital technology on society and businesses. It is also a UNESCO partner since 2011.
Ecofye’s co-founders and UNESCO award winners, Daniela A. Olson and Tiago Fachada were both invited to the Netexplo panel as they traced back to the early days of launching their company and as Imperial College London Graduates, finding their mutual calling to mitigate climate change by using their combined expertise in founding Ecofye.
Daniela A. Olson mentioned that their primary aim is to offer impactful tailored solutions to SMEs (small or medium-sized firms). It was also brought to light during the talk that 98% of SMEs are severely lacking when it comes to their ESG (ESG is a system for how to measure the sustainability of a company or investment in three specific categories: environmental, social and governance). When asked for one piece of advice for companies to follow, Tiago Fachada stressed the importance of engagement with suppliers by setting strict guidelines, as 90% of emissions come from the supply chain itself. Furthermore, the panel applauded the compact and accessible approach adopted by Ecofye’s ESG assessment software.
As for the future of Ecofye, both founders illustrated their aims to incentivise sustainability among firms and keep working on their technology to always be at the frontend in the cleantech industry.
To watch the whole conversation, click here