As the world prepares to meet up for COP28 in the UAE, a prestigious commitment to address climate change and increase environmental awareness, we are thrilled to be introducing our special edition HappyYOU Card, the GOGREEN Card. In recognition of COP28’s undertaking and in line with our dedication as a digital business to reduce our carbon footprint, this card symbolizes actions for a more sustainable future. We hope it will inspire you and your loved ones to GOGREEN!
Digital Gift Cards (eGift Cards) not only offer convenience in today’s fast-paced world, but also contribute to a greener environment. Contrary to traditional physical cards, eGift Cards have become the go-to for instant gifting, employee incentives, customer rewards, and loyalty programs, essentially reshaping how we gift and reward as a whole, all the while reducing the carbon footprint for a greener planet.
The growing pursuit of eco-conscious practices increases the rapid demand for sustainable products like digital gift cards. Digital gift cards highlight their convenience, versatility, user-friendliness, and environmental compatibility, seamlessly aligning with COP28 UAE‘s sustainable development goals. Anticipated to reach 6 USD Billion by 20261 in the MENA Region, the digital gift card market shows the increasing shift towards digital payments.
With regards to the growing popularity of gift cards over the years, plastic gift cards are predominantly composed of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) , a harmful pollutant, and fortunately these numbers are rapidly fading. As global environmental awareness intensifies, consumers approve the transition towards sustainable and eco-friendly practices. The global gift card market in 2023 is estimated to be worth nearly USD 450 Billion and is expected to reach USD 1.5 Trillion by 2032. The gift card production is set to continuously increase which means a shift to digital gift cards will help reduce global plastic production. A staggering 29.8 billion plastic gift cards were produced worldwide in 2020, contributing to PVC waste and increasing CO2 emissions.
The change from plastic gift cards to digital gift cards marks a decisive moment in our commitment to a greener future. eGift Cards are end-to-end digital, which means they can be purchased online, sent via SMS, Email, or WhatsApp™ and redeemed digitally, in turn removing the need for additional paper or plastic requirements. Digital gift cards also bring logistical advantages as they eliminate the need for transportation, production, storage, and shipping, reducing the overall carbon footprint.
As an established green business in digital gift cards, we have gone one step further to reduce our carbon footprint in running our operations. In October 2022, our cloud infrastructure carbon emissions were nearing 1 metric ton/month, and as part of our sustainability initiatives, we have managed to significantly reduce our carbon footprint to 0.3 metric tons/month, reducing our carbon emissions by nearly 70% in less than a year.
As we progress forward, let us continue to prioritize eco-conscious choice and unite to shape a more sustainable and environmentally attuned world.
المصادر:
1- https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220303005627/en/United-Arab-Emirates-Gift-Card-and-Incentive-Card-Market-Intelligence-and-Future-Growth-Dynamics-Databook-2022—ResearchAndMarkets.com
2- https://finance.yahoo.com/news/saudi-arabia-gift-card-incentive-094800395.html
3- https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/what-on-earth-newsletter-gift-card-holidays-1.5402807
4- https://huuray.com/inspiration/gift-cards/global-gift-card-market/#how-big-is-the-global-gift-card-market
