About Rocketspark
Rocketspark is a New Zealand-based website building platform that helps small businesses in in Australia, UK and New Zealand easily create and manage their online presence via an online website builder. They focus on Designers, Marketers and VAs who design websites for clients.
Grant Johnston is a founder and the CEO.
Challenges finding an easy solution
Rocketspark was motivated by a desire to take responsibility for its carbon footprint and to do something tangible today. They also wants to show its community of design partners and customers that it’s easy for them to start making a difference too.
"As a responsible business owner, we knew we were creating a carbon footprint and wanted to take active steps to address it,"Grant said.
Grant and the Rocketspark team considered different options of engaging consultants or trying to measure their footprint themselves, but these were too costly or complicated for businesses of their size specialising in providing websites not carbon related services. As busy business owners, they quickly decided that using simple yet powerful software which was free to measure and affordable to use ongoing was the right path.
CarbonInvoice as the right solution
Rocketspark found their answer in CarbonInvoice, which provides easy-to-use software that links with their Xero accounting file to automatically calculate their carbon footprint in line with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. "It was super simple."
The beginning of the partnership saw Rocketspark easily measure its carbon footprint using CarbonInvoice’s powerful measurement software which links to Rocketspark’s Xero accounting file and analyses spend transactions to calculate the businesses carbon emissions. CarbonInvoice's measurement approach accords with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, an internationally accepted standard to measure and manage emissions. Grant explained “It was super simple. Once we actually measured it, then it was actually no-brainer territory to actually click through”. Within minutes Rocketspark had started funding the planting of native trees every month to compensate for its carbon footprint.
For Grant and Rocketspark the authenticity of authenticity in their environmental efforts is critical. "We wanted to make sure this is real and that it’s the right thing," Grant stressed. Thorough due diligence ensured that the trees being planted were native and genuinely beneficial to the environment. "It's not just paying for trees that already exist or buying carbon credits from questionable sources. These are real trees, native trees, going into the ground," he explained.
CarbonInvoice curates and works with experienced and credible tree planting partners including Trees That Count in New Zealand and Carbon Positive in Australia. The trees are funded in local communities where the Rocketspark team and community can engage with them over time.
This approach aligns with Rocketspark's ethos of genuinely caring for their community and the environment. Greenwashing, where companies falsely advertise their environmental efforts, undermines trust. Grant and his team were determined to avoid this pitfall by ensuring their actions were transparent and impactful. This was a key reason for choosing to partner with CarbonInvoice and support its simple and concrete approach of a robust carbon measurement and new native trees.
Since partnering with CarbonInvoice in December 2023, Rocketspark has been putting its money where its mouth is, actively funding the planting of native trees to mitigate their carbon footprint. As of September 2024, Rocketspark has funded 318 native trees, and is forecast to fund another 200+ in 2024 .
"It's cool that now we're starting to tell the story. There's actually a bit of a track record of taking action," Grant shared enthusiastically.
How Rocketspark is benefiting
As well as the benefits to Rocketspark’s brand from authentic carbon action, Grant and his team know they are doing the right thing as responsible business owners. “Taking steps to reduce carbon footprints is not only good for the planet but also beneficial for business.” Grant explains.
One of the standout aspects of the Rocketspark and CarbonInvoice partnership is the potential to build a community around taking action on sustainability. "We see the potential to build community by bringing Rocketspark partners, team, and clients to the [native tree] planting days," Grant said. This community aspect is not just about paying money and feeling good but about coming together to have a real world experience, make a tangible impact getting our own hands dirty and planting real trees together.
Rocketspark has also highlighted the opportunities to their own community and seen its own customers sign up to CarbonInvoice. One example is Pacific Cycle Tours, a cycle tour brand in Canterbury and a Rocketspark website user who saw a community newsletter and immediately signed up.
Rocketspark’s own clients are endorsing Rocketspark’s action too. Minja van der Paard owner of Relatable Design Co says: "Addressing the problem of the web‘s carbon footprint requires collaborative action. Knowing that Rocketspark is actively and genuinely doing their bit aligns with my own values, and is one of the reasons why I choose them as my preferred website builder."
