FIGARO TOMORROW – Launched this Thursday, the EngageNow platform targets employees and customers of companies but also local communities, schools and ultimately the general public. It is the first initiative in the world in the world to be labeled Gold by the UN Climate.
No more guilt-inducing ecology! Make way for awareness and training to change behavior. This is the state of mind in which the start-up WeNow is launching a video game platform to allow everyone to assess their carbon footprint and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions in a fun way.
Answering quizzes or challenges, taking part in challenges, playing alone or against other players: this is the best way to get everyone involved in the climate transition.
Called EngageNow, this platform, launched today, is initially aimed at companies wishing to mobilize their employees, even their customers or even their partners to achieve the climate commitment objectives they have set for themselves. Multilingual, it is adapted to the functioning of multinationals.
At the end of their training, most participants tell us “if I had known” … and want to take action, without knowing where to start. I have already been asked: why does waste pollute?
Valerie Mas
Because 75% of employees say they want to be supported or trained in climate issues by their company. This is the observation made by WeNow, which trained 10,000 people, including 6,000 in 2020, at the
reduction of the carbon footprint, in particular through eco-driving. “At the end of their training, most of the participants tell us “if I had known” … and want to take action, without knowing where to start, explains Valérie Mas, co-founder of WeNow with Fabien Carimalo. I have already been asked: why does waste pollute? This is what motivated us to go further in our approach “.
The development of the platform, eco-designed by limiting its CO2 emissions as much as possible, required one year of research and development with Kairos Agency. The content was prepared with many partners such as Lemon Tri (on waste) or Pur Projet (on the circular economy and carbon sinks). For now, the platform offers three hours of training but should grow quickly, especially in additional games.
Europcar subscribed for its 5,000 employees
Six companies have already joined the project by paying a monthly subscription to use the services of this platform. Among them, Europcar Mobility Group, which initially offers it to its 5,000 employees, or Carglass for its customers.
Thanks to its own dashboard, the company can monitor the number of employees participating in the platform, adding new challenges and challenges each month according to its own objectives (example: repairing more than throwing away). The data and individual performance of each of the participants and their respective families, however, remain confidential.
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EngageNow also targets local communities wishing to involve their inhabitants in the environmental transition or schools for their students. Moreover, Kedge Business School has already expressed its interest. On the occasion of Cop 26, to be held in November 2021 in Glasgow, the platform will also be launched for the general public. On a freemium model, individuals having to pay a subscription to have access to all the content. Valérie Mas is convinced that the latter “Are willing to pay to play and be part of a community”.
The one who co-founded WeNow in 2014 has lost none of her early enthusiasm. The start-up made a name for itself by launching an eco-driving training and awareness application, allowing fuel savings while neutralizing its CO2 emissions. Thanks to a connected box connected to a vehicle, the application calculates the ideal driving behavior to adopt, compares it to that of the motorist, delivers, at the end of each trip, its energy performance, its CO2 emissions and provides it with tips to improve driving.
350,000 tonnes of CO2 avoided or offset since 2014
WeNow, which has a hundred customers – including Vinci, Bouygues, Eiffage, Haribo, La Mie Câline or Médiamétrie – not only allows its users, against 15 euros per month, to reduce the consumption of their fleets by 10 to 15%, but also to offset their greenhouse gas emissions if that is not enough and if they wish. Thus, 350,000 tonnes of CO2 were avoided or offset through it: it planted 58,000 trees in France and invested in UN reforestation projects and in new energies in India and Asia. B-Corp labeled, referenced by the Solar Impulse foundation and a company with a mission, greentech is the first company in the world to be labeled Gold by the new Climate Neutral Now initiative of the UN Climate.
The structure, whose number of employees has doubled in one year to reach 12 people, is experiencing double-digit growth. Profitable since its inception, it raised 1.3 million euros in 2020, notably from two impact funds (Raise Impact and Lita.co). “About sixty contracts are in the process of being signed and we feel that there is a real expectation on the part of companies”, assures Valérie Mas. With this new initiative, the latter believes it can reach the same number of users as that of video games.
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