Over the past few months, we've been working on a wonderful project, one we haven't yet shared much about. We've been working on the sustainability strategy for Pueblos Remotos, laying its foundations and implementing concrete actions, such as calculating its carbon footprint.
It's been quite an experience, and a personal pleasure, to be able to lead and manage this project, for and with a team I truly believe in. What began as "just another project" has ended up becoming a small baby within the Pueblos Remotos , one that's here to stay and grow with us little by little.
An ESG project with soul
And what has this project, which has generated so much affection in me, entailed? Well, it's covered quite a bit.
At the end of last year, we found an opportunity to take our sustainability strategy a step further, thanks to European funding aimed at small businesses with a social impact. Together with Elsa Rodríguez, co-founder of the project, and just before her maternity leave, we presented an ambitious proposal (because yes, we want to give our all when it comes to sustainability!), and good news... we were granted it!
Elsa, we miss you so much in the process, but this is also your baby , the other one! 😉 The European project is called 'Green at Heart' , co-financed by the European Union and promoted by Impact Hub (Amsterdam, Madrid, and Vienna) together with the impact departments of those cities. It wasn't just a financial resource, but a training and support program that even included a Bootcamp in Vienna , where we met with other companies to learn and share real challenges. From there, new collaborations have even emerged.
It's been quite an experience, and a personal pleasure, to be able to lead and manage this project, for and with a team I truly believe in. What began as "just another project" has ended up becoming a small baby within the Pueblos Remotos , one that's here to stay and grow with us little by little.
Green at Heart project bootcamp in Vienna with other impact companies
This drive fits perfectly with our intention to ensure that sustainability is not only in what we do —experiences, activities, connection to the territory—but also in how we do it : in our daily decisions, processes, and way of operating.
Sustainability and carbon footprint policy
During these months, we have worked on two main lines:
- We created our Sustainability Policy , where we defined commitments and principles of action. This also helped us resume our underlying strategic work.
- Calculate the carbon footprint of the company and our experiences, and train ourselves to do so internally every year.
For this, we partnered with Espacio Suministro , and especially with Nuria Rodríguez of Ecomimética . She provided the training and carried out the footprint calculation, as well as the final report and Reduction and Compensation Plan. The two Nurias have been the dream team for this part of the project. And yes, we confess: we're sustainability freaks
Training on carbon footprint and environmental impact with Nuria Rodríguez (Ecomimética)
And who am I to tell you this?
For those who don't know me, I'm Nuria Fernández , a sustainability consultant. I come from a background in sustainable architecture, although today I focus on regenerative approaches (which is a whole other blog!), and I've also trained in social innovation and sustainability strategy.
co-living experiences in Almagro , in March 2024. It was there that I fell even more in love with the project, not only for its purpose, but for who promotes it and how they do it.
My collaboration with the team began last November. Since then, I've worked within the organization, and my role has been something of an innovation and sustainability consultant. I've been able to stick my nose into all the interesting areas that time has allowed, designing and facilitating workshops for social entrepreneurs in rural settings, participating in European projects with international partners... but, without a doubt, this ESG project has been the one that has taken up my attention the most (and with pleasure).
Facilitation of dynamics with social entrepreneurs
And when you have a clear calling, you inevitably find those projects that inspire and motivate you.
Carbon footprint as a measure of impact
Returning to the project, why, among many other possible actions, did we choose to measure the carbon footprint?
Although as a service company, our emissions are not very high compared to industrial sectors and other business scales, we knew that one of our greatest impacts was on the experiences with remote workers and students, especially due to the use of air transport.
But how much impact does that actually represent? How does it compare to other areas? Where should we focus on reducing it?
The only way to answer this question is by quantifying it with real data, because as they say: 'You can't improve what you don't measure.'
What if we can't reduce everything?
It's true that emissions can't always be reduced, whether due to technical, economic, or contextual limitations. That's where offsetting comes in. It shouldn't be an excuse or a band-aid, but rather a complementary tool that allows us to restore some of the planet's carbon absorption capacity.
In our case, we've offset 10% of our emissions as an organization by collaborating with the Foresta Foundation , a reforestation project in the Canary Islands that works to restore the archipelago's natural heritage.
co-living experiences in Almagro , in March 2024. It was there that I fell even more in love with the project, not only for its purpose, but for who promotes it and how they do it.
The challenge of sustainability in small businesses
Integrating sustainability into everyday life is a challenge for any business, but for small and medium-sized enterprises, even startups and microenterprises, with limited resources, it can be even more complex.
Today, there is a lack of support, training, and clear policies to drive this change in an accessible and realistic way. That's why initiatives like the European Green at Heart are so necessary: they offer tools, support, and visibility so that even smaller businesses can move toward a more sustainable model.
Because without that push, sustainability risks being left in the hands of a few committed companies, when what we need is systemic and collective change.
And now what?
We wanted to share this entire process and what we've learned with you. As of today:
- Our Sustainability Policy is integrated into our processes.
- We have a plan in progress for measures to be implemented in the coming years.
- And we will continue to measure our footprint every year, with the goal of continuously reducing and improving.
In addition, we will soon share the results on social media and publicly share both the Sustainability Policy and the Reduction and Compensation Plan .
In fact, we already talked about this last July, when we shared a webinar with Nuria Rodríguez ( Ecomimética ) and Sergio Armas ( Fundación Foresta ), to put these issues on the table, analyze the pros and cons of measuring the footprint and open the debate. If you are interested, you can watch the recording of the webinar here .
Because this goes beyond companies
Although these topics may sound corporate, we all have an impact, whether as a company, as a group, or as individuals. We encourage you to continue learning and take small steps to reduce your footprint.
On a personal level, this project has marked a very special professional stage for me, and it also opens another one: that of continuing to promote sustainability in impactful companies.
Thank you, Pueblos Remotos, and we continue walking together.🥰
Super Pueblos Remotos Team celebrating life!
