Organisation
Material Guide is a small, independent organisation, registered as a German limited (UG) and based in Potsdam. Our audit for the Economy for the Common Good as well as a Steward Ownership set-up are in progress.
Material Guide
Background
Our reason-to-be
Humans cannot survive alone
We depend on the ecosystems we are part of. Understanding this intrinsic connection between human and non-human life, encourages us to look after the planet, and all the life forms it hosts.
This is not just nice, it’s necessary. Biodiversity is the most important source of life-support for humanity, but currently around one million plant and animal species are threatened to go extinct.
Food Production is key to biodiversity
Some of the most important drivers of biodiversity loss, are changes in land and sea use (including careless agriculture), the direct exploitation of organisms (including the bio-industry), and pollution (including the pollution caused by food packaging and transport).
The way our food is being produced, has a direct impact on biodiversity, so how production happens matters. It matters a lot. This is why we believe sustainable food production is the future.
Radical Transparency as a Service
Material Guide works towards a world in which the most planet-healthy products are the most successful, instead of the ones with the loudest voice and the biggest marketing budget.
We do this by empowering local, responsible producers with data-driven tools, and by providing customers of their products with crystal clear messaging. It also enables a better connection with our food, and therefore, with our planet.
Transparency
Finance
In 2020, we received a grant of around €125k through the European Social Fund and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. Our company is fully owned by its founders and all transfers run through our cooperative-run bank account.
Tech Policy
We try and run as many of our web-based services as possible on European, if not German hosting services, respecting highest standards of privacy, while running on renewable energy and with ethical work principles in place.
Collaboration
We value collaboration on eye-level as well as long-term partnerships. Hence, we offer a fair pricing policy based on the size and capacity of our partners. In addition, we aim to be as inclusive as possible.
Roadmap
Team
Material Guide is run by a small core team with a background in research, supply chain management, sustainability innovation and digital product design.
We now work in close collaboration with external experts from the fields of media, communications and technical implementation.
As we are looking to grow our team, please do get in touch via email to work or collaborate with us.
