Partners Beyond Carbon: Cargill and EOS Climate

Cargill and EOS Climate have partnered up to curb emissions from aging refrigerators and air conditioners.  This is a relationpship where each company can do what it does best, leveraging the strength of its business partner.

Cargill is not only one of the oldest, but one of the largest privately held corporations in the United States. It has business operations in dozens of industries like food, agriculture, industrial products and services, and even risk management, to name a few.

EOS Climate specializes in the collection and destruction of Chlorofluorocarbon (CFCs) and other ozone depleting substances (ODSs), which come from old leaky refrigerators and air conditioners. EOS suggests, “Even though ODS are no longer manufactured, they are still emitted by leaky, old air conditioning units and refrigeration equipment. These chemicals are a ticking time bomb for our climate and the environment because they are up to 11,000 times more powerful as greenhouse gases than carbon dioxide on a pound-for-pound basis.”

This is where Cargill fits into the picture as a partner.  “We’re leveraging carbon finance to prevent these harmful gases from depleting the ozone layer and trapping heat in the atmosphere, while incentivizing conversion to newer refrigeration and cooling systems that are more energy efficient,”  said Cargill’s carbon market strategist, Arjun Patney.

At first glance, the Cargill and EOS Climate relationship may seem like a client or customer, where EOS Climate is helping Cargill dispose of their ozone depleting substances (ODS.)  It's not (although that wouldn't be a bad idea.)  It's more of a partnership, where Cargill is a financing and marketing partner for tradable emissions credits generated by EOS Climate.  It turns out Cargill is already participating in carbon offset markets domestically and globally.  EOS Climate adds a little more expertise to the equation.

In essence, Cargill believes in the EOS Climate model, that they want to see it scale.

EOS Climate CEO, Joe Madden suggests, “This partnership validates our model and this credit type, and strengthens our ability to address the global environmental threat posed by refrigerants at or near end-of-life.”

The Cargill and EOS Climate types of partnerships is something we need to see more of.  Established companies partnering with startup companies to do business better, for the people, for the planet, without sacrificing profit.