How we live our values
Authenticity. Simplicity. Optimism.
These are our three core values here at Terra Neutra. They are the words that best describe the way we approach our work, what we strive for, and the standard that we set ourselves.
Having these core values allows us to simplify what we do. They enable us to make sure that we not only achieve our mission, but that we do so in a way that is both consistent and positive.
Each value has a purpose and a key role within the work we do both within and outside of Terra Neutra. By following these values we can live a kinder, more purposeful, and more driven life.
So how did we come up with these values?
We began by looking at what it is that Terra Neutra stands for. We looked for the three words that symbolise the way that we do things, for both our customers and for ourselves.
Once we had our values, we looked deeper into the everyday behaviours that put them into action.
So… what do these values mean? And more importantly, how can we make them become a part of everything that we do?
Making authenticity a priority
When we think of authenticity we think of being honest. We think of being trustworthy, of being able to show our true selves. It’s being willing to talk even when it feels hard to do so. It is being able to make mistakes while also owning up to them.
These behaviours are central to working well as a team. It is not always easy, but sharing our thoughts with one another and openly discussing matters we care about brings us closer together. It strengthens our team relationships and makes working with one another not only easy but happy.
Trust is at the heart of building relationships. Relationships between coworkers, friends, and between an organisation and their customers.
Trust is also a key part of authenticity. Without authenticity, it is much harder to have trust that we do what we say we do.
Being clear and being honest is integral to building these relationships. Not just within the team, but with customers.
Some of the ways in which we will be practising authenticity is by:
- Making sure that we stay aligned with our values in all of our decision-making.
- Taking responsibility for representing these values in our communications.
- Representing and sharing information accurately and openly.
- Making sure that we do the right thing, and not what is easy.
We hope that by practising these behaviours we can make Terra Neutra an offsetting company that you can trust.
Keeping things simple
We want to make sure that your experience of carbon offsetting with Terra Neutra is one that is simple, easy, and quick.
We have done this by putting offsetting into three simple steps. You choose what you would like to offset, select the project you wish to support, and then offset your emissions.
But keeping things simple isn’t just about the way we help you to offset. We want to make sure that your experience with us is one that helps you to better understand how we can help the planet.
Our aim is to show you — through our future blogs, podcasts, and youtube videos — how we can help the planet in a way that is simple, clear, and concise.
The current climate emergency is one that is complicated and worrying. Approaching it in a way that is clear allows us to help inspire others. It helps us to make offsetting more accessible, more understandable. We want to make sure that carbon offsetting is something that anyone can do.
But simplicity isn’t just about being clear. It’s about knowing who you are, what you do, and what your aim is. When we know these things, then we can know what it is that we are okay with and not okay with.
When we simplify things, we can understand. Understand who we are, and what we value. We can be better leaders.
Sharing optimism in all that we do
Something that we really wish to share at Terra Neutra is optimism. We are facing a huge emergency, but it is important to state that we can change. Social and environmental change is absolutely possible.
Carbon offsetting is all about working towards making that change happen. It is about individuals realising that they can do something. That we can all do something in helping to make our planet healthier.
As a collective, through offsetting, we are helping the planet to breathe better. It is important to celebrate that, and to think of the good that we can do and that we are doing.
Optimism and positive thinking is the kind of energy that we want Terra Neutra to have.
But sometimes being optimistic is hard, especially when we see the devastation that is happening to the world around us. So we asked ourselves an important question:
What can we do to be more optimistic both in the workplace and outside it?
- Take some time doing things that we are passionate about: this may be art, or music, or simply making sure to spend time with our family.
- Spend time in nature: this allows us to take some much needed time out from work to breathe and be surrounded by the natural beauty our planet has to offer.
- Practising gratitude: think about all the good things that we have done and that have happened to help both people and the planet. Practising gratitude allows us to think more optimistic.
- Mindfulness: sometimes we just need a moment to disconnect so that when we return to our work we do so with a positive energy.
When we value play, and make time for ourselves, we can look at the problems around us and come up with solutions. We can be inspired from our time out and want to take action to change things. We can respond to challenges in a way that is effective and we can support our team.
Prioritising authenticity and simplicity is so important when running an organisation. But it wouldn’t be able to happen at all without optimism, without the courage to take risks, without believing that great things are possible.
Following our values
We believe that great things are possible. We believe that we can each do our part to help both the planet and people breathe better. We believe that offsetting is a way that we can begin to help make change happen.
We hope that you join us in this journey of offsetting, of being optimistic, of keeping things simple. We will follow our values each step we make.
But now we want to ask you some questions.
What three things do you value most?
What do you wish to be?
How can you get there?
Creating values and recognising the behaviours that help us to act on them is a great way to understand what matters. It helps us to make sure that we don’t just do good things. But that the way in which we do them is good too.
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