Sustainability Report 2021: Gelato is raising ambitions

Creators around the world turn their dreams into reality and unlock their potential with Gelato. Gelato is on a mission to connect people and ideas, turn their ideas into real products, and sell them all around the world. Bringing creativity to life - and into business.

The fast-growing Norwegian tech company has released its second Sustainability Report, highlighting just how Gelato is changing the world of manufacturing through its local and on-demand production model. Empowering both entrepreneurship and local communities to produce what they consume – strengthening local businesses, minimizing waste and reducing carbon emissions on the last mile shipping.

Rethinking production, for the benefit of people and the planet

“At Gelato, we have a unique opportunity to use our reach and scale to let the local community produce what the local community consumes. This will create a better society in many ways, big and small,” says Gelato Founder and CEO Henrik Müller-Hansen.

Gelato enables local, on-demand production on a global scale. So that local communities can produce what local communities need, when they need it.

“From day one, Gelato’s vision has been to rethink production. We believed then, and we continue to believe, that personalized items should be produced locally and on demand. Local, on-demand production strengthens local businesses and communities, and benefits our planet and customers,” says Müller-Hansen

Some of Gelato’s sustainability highlights in 2021:

ENVIRONMENT - Reduce environmental impact

• 85% of all orders were produced in the same country as they were delivered.
• 4 new production markets were launched in 2021 - Malaysia, South Africa, Greece, and Poland.
• Launched GOTS-certified organic cotton and recycled polyester apparel.

SOCIAL - Positive impact on people

• Raised funds to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS in partnership with Broadway poster designer, Frank Fraver Verlizzo.
• 172 new team members were hired.
• 1000s of entrepreneurs grow their businesses and communities are currently supported through our production network.

GOVERNANCE - Act responsibly

• 0 major data security incidents.
• 100% of our production and development partners have signed the supplier Code of Conduct.
• Participant in the United Nations Global Compact’s SDG ambition accelerator program.

Read more about Gelato's sustainability progress in the 2021 Sustainability Report here.

The road ahead

We are united by a determination to make traditional production a thing of the past. We believe it is critical that we rethink the way production works, and that local on-demand production is the solution to the current unreliable, unsustainable, and sometimes unethical supply chains.
We never want to lose sight of who we are doing this for. We believe that local production is critical to allow local communities to thrive and we want to do all that we can to help the planet survive the global challenges we are facing.

“Sustainability has been an integral part of our business model since inception. However, as the consequences of the climate crisis have become even more evident during 2021, we have set a bold ambition to reach net zero by 2030 across our value chain,” says Müller-Hansen. During
2022 we will start the journey towards net zero, and take actions to empower sustainable choices and bring our vision to life - to rethink production, for the benefit of people and the planet”.

Read more about the road ahead.

About Gelato

Gelato’s platform and network of more than 100 local production partners across the world enables ecommerce entrepreneurs and creators to sell their designs on custom products to customers anywhere, and have them made and delivered where and when they need them. Because the products are made on demand and closer to where they are delivered, delivery is faster and waste and carbon emissions are reduced, while also removing the seller’s need to manage inventory or cross-border shipping. Faster, smarter, greener.

Gelato has 14 offices across 12 countries, its headquarters are located in Oslo, Norway.