In today’s ever-evolving world, integrating sustainability into business strategies is no longer optional but essential for long-term success. Cath Thrupp, Founder & CEO of CarbonPlanet, embodies this values-driven approach with a mission to build a more sustainable, regenerative, and equitable world.
As CEO, Cath shoulders the crucial responsibility of defining and steering the long-term vision of Carbon Planet. Her role encompasses building and nurturing the company’s culture, collaborating with like-minded leaders globally, and designing an agile and innovative organization poised for the future. In recent years, her focus has been on deeply considering the essential steps our world must take to achieve Net Zero and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This includes rethinking business models to meet global targets, fostering a circular economy, understanding geopolitical dynamics, and recognizing the needs of everyday people. Additionally, Cath explores how converging technologies can be harnessed to facilitate the global transition towards sustainability.
For Cath, the most fulfilling part of her daily routine involves collaborating and innovating with inspiring leaders dedicated to transforming the world. This engagement fuels her passion and drives her commitment to creating impactful change. Outside of work, Cath finds joy in spending quality time with her family and dedicating focused time to exercise, balancing her professional responsibilities with personal well-being.
Cath and CarbonPlanet are at the forefront of creating a significant impact on the environment and communities, demonstrating that sustainable business practices can drive both economic growth and social equity.
An Inspiring Journey
Cath reflects on her journey with a profound understanding of how her experiences have shaped her career and perspective. “We are all an amalgamation of everything that we have ever experienced or learnt in our lives,” she says, emphasizing the unique blend of influences that define each person. Growing up on a farm in a relatively remote part of Australia, she was the first in her family to attend university. Her experiences living by a large river and witnessing the challenges of floods and droughts have profoundly influenced her career in water and natural resource management.
Starting in the technical field of aquatic ecology, Cath’s career evolved as she took on leadership roles, guiding large engineering and science teams in urban water management and landscape restoration. Her journey through various disciplines, from water management to real estate investment, online marketing, and exploring the future of work and personal mindset, has broadened her perspective and informed the development of her company.
Cath has come to realize that the diversity of experiences and beliefs is a powerful driver of innovation and change. She believes that it is this diversity that will enable us to navigate and transition into a better future for our world.
The Company
Carbon Planet is dedicated to creating and implementing large-scale impact projects that leverage carbon, eco-markets, and technology to aid local communities in transitioning to more sustainable and resilient futures. The company also assists countries and companies in meeting and exceeding their impact goals. As Cath explains, “Our core values are: Be Great Leaders & Human Beings; Be Bold; Change the World; Create Meaningful Partnerships; Add Massive Value; Co-create Equitable Futures; Embrace Your Inner Child; Take Rapid, Smart Action; Make Life Count!”
CarbonPlanet operates globally, with projects spanning across the APAC region, Africa, and Europe. The company supports sovereign nations and Tier 1 corporations in their decarbonization efforts. This geographic range continues to expand as CarbonPlanet develops more sovereign decarbonization and bioeconomy strategies. The company also facilitates the connection between capital and high-quality, scalable on-ground projects, further supporting global decarbonization initiatives. At CarbonPlanet, success is not just measured by standard financial metrics but also by the real-world outcomes of their projects. This includes metrics such as the number of people lifted out of poverty, the increase in access to food and clean drinking water, the restoration of land areas, and the amount of carbon sequestered.
What sets Carbon Planet apart in the industry is their innovative and scalable problem-solving model, specifically designed for social and environmental impact projects. The company focuses on originating projects that offer comprehensive solutions to achieve Net Zero and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This approach ensures that carbon reduction, biodiversity preservation, education, and local job creation are integrated and achieved at the levels of countries, landscapes, and cities.
Transformative Improvements
Cath envisions transformative improvements in society, the environmental industry, and people’s lives through three key initiatives:
- Creating New Types of Companies: Cath advocates for the development of agile, global, and human-centric companies that are driven by a large mission. These organizations should be designed to address and solve complex global challenges.
- Building New Business Models for Natural Resource Management: Cath emphasizes the need for innovative business models that promote the scalable restoration of land and water resources. These models should not only focus on environmental restoration but also bring tangible benefits to local communities and landholders. This approach ensures that sustainable practices are economically viable and socially inclusive.
- Leveraging New Technology for Social and Environmental Impact: Cath sees immense potential in utilizing emerging technologies to enhance the scale, verification, and optimization of social and environmental impact projects.
Cultivating Agility and Resilience
Cath emphasizes that the company’s focus is on fostering maximum agility to develop long-term resilience. This approach is evident in their fully remote, international team, which spans across various countries and cultures. The company prioritizes a supportive work environment where employees share in the company’s profits, enjoy flexible working hours, and are encouraged to balance their professional and personal lives, including health, family, and outdoor activities.
When it comes to hiring new team members, Cath highlights several key traits that are crucial:
- Passion for the Mission: A deep commitment to the company’s goals and vision is essential. Team members should be genuinely passionate about making a positive impact.
- Belief in Possibilities: The company values individuals who believe that anything is possible. This mindset fosters innovation and encourages tackling challenges head-on.
- Excellent Communication and Teamwork: Strong interpersonal skills are vital for effective collaboration, especially in a remote and diverse team setting.
- Determination to Achieve Goals: A relentless drive to reach and exceed objectives is important for maintaining momentum and achieving success.
- Openness and Curiosity: The company seeks individuals who are eager to learn and open to new experiences. This curiosity drives continuous improvement and adaptability.
- Focus on What Matters: Prioritizing key tasks and concentrating efforts on meaningful work is essential for efficiency and impact.
- Persistence: The ability to persevere through challenges and setbacks is highly valued, as it is often the key to overcoming obstacles and achieving long-term success.
A Bold Move
Cath made a bold move by leaving her previous secure, well-paid leadership role to start her company. She was driven by a clear mission, with no fallback position, and was fully committed to working on this vision for the next decade. Despite the uncertainty of how she would achieve such a significant goal, her “all-in” approach, coupled with persistence and hard work, has led to remarkable outcomes for the company.
Currently, the company operates primarily as an advisory firm, offering expert guidance in various areas. However, Cath and her team are also focusing on expanding their digital assets. Over the next five years, they plan to integrate AI into all their platforms and products. This strategic direction aims to enhance the company’s offerings and leverage cutting-edge technology to support their mission and growth.
Leadership Evolution and Vision for the Future
Cath’s leadership journey began early, as she took on various leadership roles throughout her school years and beyond. For her, leadership fundamentally revolves around understanding people and supporting them in becoming the best versions of themselves. She has always been fascinated by what drives people—their ambitions, motivations, and dreams.
Over the years, Cath’s leadership style has evolved significantly. It started with building self-awareness and then progressed to understanding how she could best support the teams she leads. Throughout her career, she discovered that her greatest strength lies in comprehending complex problems and bringing together the right people, technology, and solutions to address these challenges in innovative ways. This realization enabled her to step back from the technical aspects of project delivery and focus more on empowering her teams.
Cath continues to grow and learn as a leader and as a woman. She embraces a mindset of ‘realistic optimism’ and nurtures her natural curiosity. Constantly seeking to improve, she engages in additional training, stays updated on the latest technological advancements, and is deeply invested in the future of work and emerging business models. Cath believes in learning by doing, so when she encounters new technologies, she trials them and considers how they could be integrated into her company.
Cath admires the passion of today’s emerging leaders for making a difference. She believes there is much to learn from the past, particularly regarding effective leadership skills and practices that do not lead to positive outcomes. Historically, she notes, people have often not been valued in the workplace, treated more as tools for work delivery rather than as human beings with their own aspirations and goals. She is committed to creating a new type of business that values human contribution and seeks to add value to the world rather than merely extracting it.
Moreover, Cath emphasizes the need for a greater focus on company vision and mission, coupled with a personal responsibility to deliver on that vision. She criticizes the historical focus on administration and ‘box ticking’ rather than on achieving quality long-term outcomes and realizing the company’s vision.
