John Kelleher is a fourth generation farmer, a seasoned businessman with expertise in digital transformation and a passionate advocate for standards on environmental, social and governance issues. He is also one of the co-founders of ConnectGreen, a business that matches climate conscious companies with certified local carbon offset projects.
“By contrast, transparency is the cornerstone of our approach and we provide access to verified data and ongoing monitoring so companies can have confidence in their offset investments.”How many times does Ireland have to be warned about shadow banking? “We are the first carbon exchange that focuses on connecting local farmers and landholders within the EU with large corporates looking for guaranteed, certified and verified carbon and biodiversity assets,” he says.
ConnectGreen is in the process of building its portfolio of potential offsets and already has more than 7,000 acres of land available. It will essentially act as the bridge that matches the ESG initiatives a company wants to take with a suitable land option. Over time, the plan is to greatly expand its land bank both here and overseas and to bring more willing farmers into the scheme.