According to a study by Ipea that mapped environmental activities between 2000 and 2017, over 70% of corporations do not undertake sustainability-focused innovation initiatives. Zaya, a greentech company that develops and simplifies the calculation of companies’ environmental impact for small, medium, and large entities, is born precisely to mitigate this scenario, assisting leaders in making more sustainable decisions in their businesses.
Founded last year, the company was born from the experience of the founder, Isabela Basso, within the sustainability team at Braskem. After pilot tests with some commercial partners, still within the parent company, the startup was invested in by Oxygea to become an independent company and start creating its own product and initiate its commercial traction. Today, already with its first clients, the company serves corporations, consultancies, and industries.
Zaya has developed its own software to perform environmental calculations within companies, providing tools that simplify and scale the use of data to assess the impact of activities. According to Isabela Basso, co-founder of Zaya, the company’s mission is to offer tools so that all companies, regardless of size, can have access to environmental impact indicators. “Our work aims to support companies by demonstrating how sustainability data can be better utilized to generate strategic direction and opportunities to enhance, even financially, their businesses,” explains the executive.
Solutions for a comprehensive work
Currently, the startup has three modules: the Greenhouse Gas Inventory, the Product Carbon Footprint, and the Life Cycle Assessment. The first one focuses on calculating the company’s gas emissions, divided into scopes 1, 2, and 3; the second refers to the carbon footprint of each product, from raw material extraction, processing, transportation, to its use and end of life. Finally, the Life Cycle Assessment module aims to deliver a complete environmental footprint of products, going beyond greenhouse gas emissions and including analyses of water consumption, land use, etc.) in a fast and easy way.
According to Otávio Dutra, also a co-founder of the company, thanks to the brand’s investment with a focus on usability and user experience, all data is presented through easy-to-use interfaces with easily understandable results. “One of our principles is also to democratize understanding the information. Our motto is to simplify deliveries and make analyzes understandable for managers and decision-makers without requiring in-depth technical knowledge of the field,” he explains.
Information for engaged consumers
In addition to the work directed towards the corporate environment, Zaya also has an initiative focused on the end consumer. The campaign “What’s Your Footprint?” consists of a page that allows the public to request information about the carbon footprint of products and brands they consume daily or intend to buy. “The idea is to give the user transparency about the products they enjoy, as well as to form a solid repertoire to exert more effective pressure on brands in their environmental practices,” concludes Isabela Basso.
