Geno Joins United Nations Global Compact Initiative

Sustainable materials leader deepens commitment to responsible business practices

SAN DIEGO, Dec. 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Today, sustainable materials leader Geno announced that it joined the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) initiative — the largest corporate sustainability initiative in the world, with more than 15,000 companies and 3,800 non-business signatories in over 160 countries.

Geno’s company logo (PRNewsfoto/Geno)

Geno’s mission is to accelerate the materials transition — at scale, creating traceable, transparent and responsibly sourced supply chains that replace unsustainable sources. For Geno, the UNGC community represents the need for global action that brings together partners (companies, citizens, consumers and governments) who will serve as collaborators, champions, challengers and changemakers to accelerate Geno’s impact. The climate crisis is an unprecedented moment in time, and we’re energized by the groups coming together to learn from each other, share stories and amplify impactful projects. The challenges of our modern world are interconnected and multidimensional, and the UNGC community aims to address, prioritize and accelerate critical change.

Launched in 2000, the UNGC is a voluntary leadership platform for developing, implementing and disclosing responsible business practices. The initiative calls on businesses across the globe to support goals and issues embodied in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are 17 goals to tackle climate change while ending poverty and improving health and education. Businesses must also align their operations and strategies with the Ten Principles of the UNGC in human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption.

Geno’s membership to the UNGC affirms its positioning as a company making a tangible impact to benefit people and the planet. The Ten Principles of the UNGC and the SDGs, such as goal 12 (responsible consumption and production), echo Geno’s own mission. Global brand leaders — such as Cargill, Unilever, Kao and lululemon — are increasingly looking to Geno to help them meet their sustainability commitments. UNGC membership can allow Geno to enable new partnerships with like-minded companies and broaden its reach in large-scale markets.

“Over the past 22 years, Geno has been on a mission to create ingredients from renewable sources to reduce the use of fossil fuels. By scaling our biotechnologies globally, we can cut greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 90% compared to conventional production,” said Geno CEO Christophe Schilling. “Geno is proud to be part of this initiative alongside other businesses working to be better for the people and planet they serve. As we advance our mission of reducing hundreds of millions of tons of carbon emissions by 2030, joining this initiative from an entity as influential and prominent as the UN can help us deepen our impact. Most importantly, we know that we can’t do this work alone. We are inspired and energized by UNGC members who use their business decisions to create a safer, more sustainable world for us all.”

About Geno
Geno (Genomatica, Inc.) is harnessing biology to remake everyday products and materials built by and for the planet. In response to the urgent climate crisis, Geno is developing and scaling sustainable materials derived from plant- or waste-based feedstocks instead of fossil fuels. Geno’s technology, built over the last 20 years, now drives materials and ingredients in applications ranging from cosmetics, carpets, and functional foods and beverages to home cleaners, apparel, and more.

The company has recently closed several major deals to commercialize sustainable materials and is on a mission to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by hundreds of millions of tons by 2030. Additional recent partnerships include scaling plant-based nylon with partners Aquafil and Asahi Kasei, partnering with lululemon to bring plant-based materials into lululemon’s products, and a $120M+ venture with Unilever and Kao to commercialize a sustainable palm oil alternative. To learn more, visit genomatica.com.