Through its technology and innovation, Indonesian on-demand tech platform Gojek provides a new service that enables everyone within its ecosystem to lead an environmentally responsible lifestyle for a better planet.
On September 14, the super app launched a carbon offset feature that enables consumers to take part on an individual level, in efforts to protect the environment.
Gojek is the first super app in Indonesia and the first in the world to enable a business-to-consumer (B2C) model for carbon offset in the ride-hailing industry, making it easy for consumers to directly participate in carbon footprint reduction and contribute to creating a clean and healthy environment.
In 2015, Indonesia has stated its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) commitment under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), pledging to reduce its carbon emissions by 29 percent by the year 2030. Gojek has committed to registering the emissions reduction produced by this initiative to the national registry system, which is managed by the Ministry of Forestry and Environment, on behalf of the community to contribute to the NDC target.
Kevin Aluwi, Co-CEO of Gojek, said the super app had always been aware of the importance of technological innovation in creating positive impact, including on environmental sustainability.
“As Southeast Asia’s leading super app, we are well aware of our responsibility to make significant social contributions to places where we operate. This contribution includes leveraging positive environmental campaigns from the public,” Kevin said during the launch of the new feature.
The GoGreener Carbon Offset feature, available as a shuffle card on the Gojek app, allows users to calculate their carbon footprint, starting with their average daily usage of transportation within and beyond Gojek services, and have them offset through tree-planting activities. The feature has been developed in collaboration with Jejak.in, a tech startup in Indonesia providing AI-based and IoT solutions for climate action. Jejak.in is also an alumnus of Gojek Xcelerate, Gojek’s startup accelerator program.
The method for calculating carbon emissions follows the scientific recommendations from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia and various references from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Users can calculate emissions based on their daily, weekly or monthly carbon footprint, and the scientific carbon calculator will convert it to a number of trees needed to offset them. Users then can adjust or add the number of trees they want to plant, and pay seamlessly on the app via GoPay.
The first phase of this initiative allows users to offset their carbon footprint by planting trees in three locations – Jakarta, Central Java or East Kalimantan. Tree-planting and monitoring will be carried out in collaboration with LindungiHutan, an environmental conservation platform in Indonesia.
To kickstart efforts in this area, Gojek will double the number of trees planted by users for the first six months from launch. “Gojek has always been focused on partnering with best-in-class organisations to deliver services that positively impact our users and the wider community. By working with Jejak.in to launch this feature, we aim to increase awareness of environmental sustainability and make it easier for those who want to take part in environmental efforts, through one seamless experience in the Gojek app,” Kevin added.
To ensure transparency and accountability, users will be given access to a monitoring dashboard, where they can view reports on the growth of their trees. These reports will be updated three times a year and will include photos and data, including the tree’s height, trunk diameter and health status.
Arfan Arlanda, CEO and Founder of Jejak.in, believes that cross-sector collaboration is key to creating meaningful solutions to environmental issues.
“As an alumnus of Gojek Xcelerate, we are honoured to partner with Gojek and bring the best of both our technological platforms to strengthen efforts in this area. Protecting the environment is a shared responsibility, and Gojek’s wide user base will allow us to reach out to more people, ultimately fostering a more eco-conscious culture in the wider society,” Arfan said.
“The launch of the carbon offset feature represents Gojek’s commitment to create positive impact through leveraging technology, including addressing environmental issues. Next phases of this initiative will be expanded to include more options for locations, types of trees, and other carbon offset methods, such as tree adoption to ensure sustainability”, added Yoanita Simanjuntak, GoGreener Program Manager.
The importance of this innovation has been lauded by Jakarta Environment Agency Head, Andono Warih.
"We are happy that more and more parties are being facilitated by Gojek to achieve breakthroughs in society. The ease of technology like this is one way to increase community participation in saving the environment."
Andono added that Gojek had chosen a very timely moment to launch this new innovation amid COVID-19.
“We hope that even after all the COVID-19-related social restrictions have ended, people continue to care about the environment,” he added.
Environmental activist and celebrity Nadine Chandrawinata endorsed Gojek’s innovation, along with Indonesia’s environmental ambassador Tasya Kamila.
As an environmental ambassador, Tasya said she was proud that this innovation was invented by Indonesian-owned and run companies like Gojek and Jejak.in. This innovation not only makes it easier for us to care for the earth, but also reminds us that change happens with small steps we start together.
Nadine said the new innovation suited the new generation of digital natives well. She added that she believed this strategy would boost participation of the young generation in environmental efforts.
She also encourages Gojek users to start using the new carbon offset feature, for the sake of ourselves and the next generation, whose fate would be greatly determined by the future of our Mother Earth.
“The Earth is our only home. If our Earth is destroyed, where would we live? Wouldn’t we want to live longer? Wouldn’t we want to see the next generation thrive and survive?” she asked, rhetorically.
“For this matter, as an environmental activist, I would like to thank Gojek for this innovation, which helps individuals calculate the amount of carbon they release on a daily basis and provides an option to be environmentally responsible,” she added.
Speaking of lifestyle modification, Sony said this was where Gojek’s expertise in technology, particularly third-party platform collaboration, came in.
“We can use third-party platform innovations to help people who wish to change their lifestyle – including those who want to lead a more environmentally-friendly life – fulfill their aspirations,” he said.
This is not the first time Gojek has pioneered such innovation among fellow industry players.
The carbon offset innovation is part of Gojek’s GoGreener initiative that was first introduced on the GoFood ecosystem in August 2019. Since its launch, it has helped avoid the creation of 10.3 tonnes of single-use plastic waste through the introduction of a paid cutlery program and the provision of reusable delivery bags for driver-partners. Other sustainability initiatives under GoGreener include an ongoing pilot project with Astra International to allow electric vehicles to be used in the Gojek ecosystem.
