Our Inaugural Impact Report

Key Highlights

The past 12 months have been transformational for the business. Our team is has expanded with diverse new talent, we have added new public and private sector clients across the globe, and have invested considerably in the development of our product. 

Product Development

• Launched the first mobile app version of Rio
• Introduced our 'Intelligence' feature which uses our proprietary AI to provide users with tailored advice and recommendations on key sustainability topic areas
• Expanded the formats in which data can be processed, verified, and validated in Rio
  
  

Partnerships & Client Support

• Won a multi-year contract with the Ministry of Justice to measure and manage sustainability data aggregation and reporting across their estate
• Formed strong and collaborative partnerships with a variety of organisations including Sanne Group, Valpak, Augean, and JustOne

“We are delighted to renew our partnership with Rio having been long term supporters of the company. A lot of the concepts they have been pioneering have frankly been ahead of their time. Rio is a great addition to Valpak’s service offering, further increasing our capability to support new and existing customers on their sustainability journeys.”

- Steve Gough, CEO, Valpak

Sustainability Learning & Skills

• Became an IEMA accredited training centre with all our courses accredited with CPD-UK
• Developed bespoke learning content for a variety of clients such as JD Sports

Knowledge Sharing

• Published 3 practical guides to support individuals and organisations better understand key themes in sustainability:
  1. The Best ESG reporting framework for your business
  2. What your ESG rating really means
  3. 10 Steps to Net Zero: The guide to carbon reduction and reporting
• Launched the Desertification Islands Discs podcast and interviewed a diverse range of incredible sustainability professionals:

“In order to tackle climate change, collaboration and resource sharing is vital. The Desertification Island Discs podcast is a great platform for sustainability professionals to share their expertise with a wider audience and explore diverse opinions. It was also great fun to chat more organically about music and pivotal life moments - other aspects of what makes us who we are.”

- Paul Dickinson, Founder of CDP

Social & Environmental Impact

• Raised over £2,000 for the Movember Foundation, which is focused on raising awareness for mental health and suicide prevention
• Calculated our baseline carbon footprint and set reduction targets aligned to the most ambitious warming scenario
• Offset our 2019-20 footprint, plus an additional 10%, by supporting a Gold Standard verified project in Rwanda

Next Steps

Moving forward, we will align this report with our financial accounting periods, so will release a report relating to our Financial year (Apr 2021 – Mar 2022) next Summer. Our aim over the next 12 months is to continue to evolve and improve the quantification of our impact.

Our job fundamentally is to help organisations and individuals to be more sustainable. We therefore must ensure we truly practice what we preach.