INSIGHTS / News

Climate tech innovator Kelpi has rounded off another fantastic year with the announcement that it has achieved B Corp Certification, an accolade that rewards companies for their high standards of social and environmental impact.

The company is removing the plastic from single-use packaging with its premium performance bioplastics that harness the novel properties and environmental benefits of seaweed.

At present, around 8% of the world’s oil is used to make plastic products – a figure which is expected to account for more than one-third of global oil demand growth by 2030, and nearly half of demand growth by 2050. As the effects of climate change become more and more apparent, reducing our dependence on plastics is vital.

Kelpi is part of a new wave of innovators addressing the climate crisis through new solutions which reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. Seaweed – a widely recognised environmental weapon – absorbs carbon as it grows, de-acidifying the ocean, regenerating marine ecosystems and acting as a newly identified feedstock for renewable bioplastics.

Kelpi utilises seaweed to produce these distinctive biopolymers. This innovative approach not only reduces our global reliance on fossil fuels, but also minimises carbon dioxide emissions for each seaweed-based packaging item produced. Plus, each item of packaging made with these polymers is designed to be home-compostable, naturally decomposing within a year and leaving no toxins behind.

The accolade, awarded and assessed by B Lab, has taken nine months to achieve through a rigorous assessment process. Now, with only 1,500 UK-based companies B Corp certified, Kelpi join a select number of businesses holding the prestigious award.

“This is a great day for Kelpi. We’re immensely proud of having achieved B Corp status – gaining this independent recognition of our commitment to maintaining the highest environmental and social standards”, said Neil Morris, CEO, Kelpi. “We’ve always seen Kelpi’s purpose as being a force for good – a part of an inclusive, equitable and regenerative economy for all people and our planet.”

Murray Kenneth, Executive Director, Kelpi, added, “We’ve worked hard to reach this point, but now our journey continues as we seek to further improve our impact upon our environment as well as social communities. Achieving B Corp status is a reflection of our actions, not just our beliefs, and we will continue to focus on driving change where it is needed.”

Kelpi has received support from SETsquared through the Scale-Up Programme, Innovate UK’s Future Economy Programme and most recently, Kelpi pitched for investment at Investment Futures 24.