Celebrating Earth Day with Globant Sustainable Programs for Rural Communities

In recent years, global concern for the state of our planet has grown significantly. A recent survey by Gartner, Inc. found that 87% of business leaders plan to increase their organization’s investment in sustainability over the next two years, highlighting a widespread recognition of the need for urgent action. This demonstrates a shift towards prioritizing sustainability as both a moral imperative and an intelligent business strategy.

Celebrating 2024 Earth Day is an opportune time to reflect on our progress and the challenges ahead.

Aware that we need to increasingly develop alternatives to mitigate our environmental impacts and generate positive outcomes, in 2023, Globant has supported Qori Q’Oncha and Green Energy Farming projects. These take a comprehensive global approach, uniting the endeavors of Globant and its partners with rural communities worldwide. The project’s core objective is to reduce carbon emissions while empowering communities with tools for an autonomous and sustainable future, thereby significantly enhancing their overall quality of life.y 

The QoriQ’oncha Program in Peru was born in 2008. In 2023, the Globant-Microsol alliance was launched with a projected three-year collaboration. This Gold Standard-certified carbon offset Program collaborates with local partners, installs and provides capacity building to rural families on Improved Cookstoves (ICS). Replacing traditional three-stone with ICS brings immediate sustainable and social impacts on the beneficiaries and the environment. The combustion chamber is insulated and improves the quality of combustion and airflow. Less heat is wasted. Therefore, less wood is required. The chimney allows extraction of the smoke outside the houses, bringing health benefits mainly for housekeeping women and their children. This initiative enhances the quality of life for these families and contributes to our fight against climate change.

Also, since 2023, together with the NGO Jnana Prabodhini, we have been advancing a three-year project to empower rural women who are heads of households in India. These women are trained in planting, cultivating, and harvesting Napier Grass, which is then transformed into energy pellets. The pellets are used for heating within their villages, and any surplus is sold, enabling them to have an income. 

By December 2023, the plantation had been done on 44 acres of land in 3 villages Harvesting of the Napier grass has been carried out for 14 acres. As of March 2024, a chipper, shredder, pelleting machine and grass cutter were procured. Moreover, 50 Smokeless stoves, which use biomass pellets as fuel, were procured and distributed in the villages, and they have already been put to use. 

Explore Globant’s inspiring sustainable initiatives, specifically designed to empower our stakeholders through sustainable Programs with rural communities across the globe. This video showcases the incredible impact of these programs, highlighting stories of transformation, resilience, and hope.

 Beyond Earth Day: charting a path to a green economy

However, Earth Day is about celebrating our successes and recognizing persisting challenges. The urgency to address climate change, protect biodiversity, and promote sustainable practices remains as crucial as ever.

Embracing Planet Kindness is a collective endeavor to reshape our company into a net-zero vision and a frontrunner in guiding organizations toward a low-carbon economy. We firmly believe that our interactions with each other and our environment will shape not only our future but also that of future generations.

Through our Be Kind to the Planet initiative, one of Globant’s Be Kind pillars, we continuously launch multiple efforts to  have carbon-free operations. Our journey towards limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels started in 2020 when we transitioned all our operations to rely only on renewable energy sources and becoming carbon neutral in 2021.

Moving forward, we are committed to maintaining these practices through 2030, cutting our per-employee greenhouse gas emissions and embracing the concept of green buildings. We recognize the opportunities for transitioning to a low-carbon economy and actively explore ways to boost these transformational opportunities. Embracing sustainability and innovation can drive positive change and improve the future. 

Sustainable synergy: integrating climate solutions and digital innovation

At Globant, we believe in the symbiotic relationship between climate and technology strategies. However, many organizations face disconnected roadmaps, stakeholder misalignment, and skills gaps that impede their transformation progress.

To address these challenges, we harness the power of technology and digital solutions to assist organizations in seizing the opportunity presented by the intersection of Environment, Society, and Governance as crucial impact metrics. Our approach goes beyond traditional ESG dimensions by incorporating Innovation, Inclusion, and Impact, forming an ESG+I framework.

Our tech strategies and sustainability initiatives provide a clear path towards practical carbon-neutral roadmaps. Leveraging our expertise in Data, IoT, Blockchain, Cloud, Artificial Intelligence, and various other technologies, we help organizations navigate the complexities of sustainable transformation.

For more information about our Climate Strategy, visit our Integrated Report