CoGo connects consumers and accredited sustainable businesses through a mobile app. Users link their values to their purchases for the good of people and the planet.
Short for ‘connecting good,’ CoGo makes it easy for consumers to find ethical and sustainable businesses in New Zealand through their phones. CoGo has partnered with Paymark New Zealand to invent a world-first concept, where consumers are able to let businesses know what their values are. Every time a consumer swipes their card, they are sending a message to local business decision-makers about the global issues they care about, such as reducing waste, cruelty-free products and reducing carbon emissions.
Through CoGo’s ‘find a business’ tool, the app allows consumers to find and shop with sustainable businesses who are already working to address the issues they care about.
What problem is CoGo trying to solve?
For consumers, it’s hard to know which businesses operate sustainably. CoGo is turning their good intentions into actions by connecting consumers who want to buy better with businesses who care about their impact. In this way, CoGo exists to connect consumers and businesses for the good of people and the planet. A growing proportion of people across the world want to consume more sustainably. 66% of respondents of a survey carried out by CoGo are willing to pay more for sustainable goods. While consumers may be willing to pay more, research often points to a big gap between this expressed preference and what actually happens in the marketplace.
What impact is CoGo making?
CoGo has created a robust impact framework linked to the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This allows consumers to vote for the actions they want to see from businesses and allows businesses to become accredited for their sustainable practices. Accreditation encourages them to improve their practices.
CoGo defines their impact as changing business behaviours by improving or adopting new practices to be part of CoGo. Over 150 businesses have adopted new practices as a result of the platform, which has had a significant impact, including 100,000 animals per year saved from life in a cage, 600,000 kilos of waste diverted from landfill, several businesses became accredited Living Wage employers, climate change mitigation and an increase in ethical investment.
CoGo Founders Melissa Keys and Ben Gleisner
What is CoGo’s business model?
CoGo helps businesses improve their practices, and then promotes those businesses to consumers that care. Their customers are the businesses on the platform. The current charging structure is tiered based on the size of the business. Businesses pay a monthly fee to be accredited and promoted on the platform. The app is free to download!
Where to from here?
CoGo are working to go global! The company has a proven track record, the concept has been validated and extensive research has been done on potential markets. They’ve recently expanded into the UK, which was chosen based on its size, proximity to Europe and overall level of card spend on ethical products. The app was launched in the UK in December 2018, along with a new brand, product and impact framework, and there’s now a small team based in London. With this expansion, the CoGo team are looking forward to building a truly world-changing platform.