1. History

2. Company and Corporate Identity

3. Sustainability Solutions

4. References

South Pole is a Swiss carbon finance consultancy founded in 2006 in Zurich. In 2018 it had 18 offices across Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania, North America and South America. For more than a decade, South Pole has worked with a wide range of public, private and civil sector organisations to accelerate the transition to a climate-smart society^[1]. South Pole has mobilised climate finance to over 700 projects in emission reduction, renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainable land-use, acting today ‘for a better tomorrow’. South Pole's expertise covers project and technology finance, data and advisory on sustainability risks and opportunities, as well as the development of environmental commodities such as carbon and renewable energy credits.

History

South Pole was founded in 2006 by graduates of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Patrick Bürgi, Thomas Camerata, Renat Heuberger, Ingo Puhl and Christoph Sutter. The company originally started as a spin-off from the ETH Zurich as the non-profit, ‘myclimate’.

Following the success of myclimate, the five founders decided to position climate change as business opportunity, and ‘South Pole Carbon’ was born^[2]. The company rebranded to ‘South Pole Group’ in 2015, and then again to the current ‘South Pole’ in January 2018^[3].

The most recent rebrand to ‘South Pole’ was a decision made to reflect the broader scope of services that the company now provides, having expanded its offering from pure emission reduction project development under South Pole Carbon, to include additional services such as advisory on sustainability risks and opportunities.

In 2012, South Pole acquired a major stake in Australia's leading carbon offset retailer, Sydney-based Climate Friendly^[4]. In 2017, the company acquired Climate Friendly's domestic and international carbon and renewables division outright, which at that point was a majority-owned subsidiary of South Pole^[5]. The move combined South Pole's global reach and resources with Climate Friendly's established standing as a reliable carbon offset and renewable energy solutions provider in Australia, and helped to consolidate South Pole's position as a global sustainability solutions provider^[6]. Some other recent milestones include selling its subsidiary “Climate Neutral Investments" to Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (ISS) in 2017, and becoming the Official Partner of the UNFCCC at the COP 23 Bonn climate conference.

Company and Corporate Identity

South Pole acts today ‘for a better tomorrow’. Through its sustainability solutions and advisory, South Pole wants to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon future and preserve precious ecosystems – none of which is as delicate as Antarctica. Through its work, it also helps empower the Global South via the positive impacts that its emission reductions and renewable energy projects add on the ground to local biodiversity, communities and the economy^[7]. South Pole is determined to help preserve our planet and its ecosystems for future generations^[8].

South Pole works with businesses and governments globally to facilitate the shift of financial flows towards a sustainable, low-carbon economy under the vision, “Climate Action for All”^[9]. The company looks to mobilise capital to unlock smart investments and finance the goals of the Paris Agreement. In doing so, South Pole aims to trigger opportunities for capitalising on the realisation of the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by transforming global energy, food and land-use systems. To do so, South Pole offers a range of climate and sustainability solutions to assist organisations in mitigating climate-related risks and seizing the opportunities that action on climate change presents.

Sustainability Solutions

South Pole is active in five key areas: Sustainable Energy; Land Use and Forestry; Water; and Sustainable Cities: Industries, Production, Logistics). The company's products and services cut across these key areas and roughly follow the understand-design-act logic:

Understanding Climate Risks and Opportunities. South Pole helps pioneering companies and investors better understand the shifting risks and opportunities landscape as a consequence of the transition to low-carbon economies, as well as increased climate impacts. In doing so, the companies are able to understand systems and their dynamics, making them transparent in the context of a company's operations and supply chains, its investment portfolio or a specific political jurisdiction.

Policy and Strategy Advisory. South Pole works closely with governments and the private sector to develop effective climate policies and strategies. It helps create the enabling conditions for systems change by advising on new policy incentives (for example,carbon pricing), establishing industry standards and developing strategies for action on the ground. The company covers the entire value chain and advises on critical levers such as land use and forests, renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Project Development and Financing. Developing emission reduction projects and mobilising climate finance is part of the DNA of South Pole. The company is deeply committed to protecting and restoring critical ecosystems, increasing investment in renewable energy infrastructure and enabling companies to translate commitments into real action on the ground.

Funds and Platform Management. In addition to mobilising finance for individual projects, South Pole works in close collaboration with partners to develop and manage innovative funding mechanisms to accelerate the green growth transition from the bottom-up. The company also manages platforms for climate leaders to exchange knowledge and build coalitions.

Impact Verification. South Pole's activities have delivered numerous climate and sustainable development impacts. The company relies on its in-house expertise to help others understand their impact. In doing so, it helps create the necessary knowledge base needed to continuously improve sustainability action on the ground and create transparency on the impacts achieved by public and private sector investment.

In addition, the South Pole Digital Lab, designs and implements digital solutions for the public and private sector. The company helps companies and governments take advantage of rapidly advancing data solutions for tackling climate change and engage broader audiences in collaborative solutions.

References

• Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Fort Wayne, Indiana)
• Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Hong Kong)
• Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Syracuse, New York)
• Cathedral of the Incarnation
• Cathedral of the Incarnation (Garden City, New York)
• Cathedral of the Incarnation, Nashville
• Cathedral of the Incarnation (Nashville, Tennessee)
• Cathedral of the Incarnation of Nashville
• Cathedral of the Madeleine (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Cathedral of the Madeline
• Cathedral of the Sacred Heart Basilica
• Cathedral of the Sacred Heart Basilica, Newark
• Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Davenport
• Cathedral of Tomorrow
• Cathedral Parish of Saint Patrick (El Paso, Texas)
• Cathedral Parkway–110th Street (IND Eighth Avenue Line)
• Cathedral Peak
• Cathedral Peak (California)
• Cathedral Peak (South Africa)
• Cathedral Range
• Cathedral Rock National Park
• Cathedrals
• Cathedral Saint Bavo(Haarlem)
• Cathedral Saint Matthew the Apostle
• Cathedral Ship