Fintech EML Payments, alongside its Spanish non-financial partner Correos, has joined Mastercard’s Priceless Planet Coalition (PPC); together aiming to replenish the Earth with the planting of 15,000 trees.
EML Payments is the latest company to join Mastercard’s PPC, whilst its partner Correos has become the first non-financial partner in Spain to sign up for the initiative.
Mastercard’s PPC unites businesses, financial institutions, local authorities and consumers around the world with the common goal of implementing actions that contribute to safeguarding the planet and fighting climate change.
Launched in January 2020, Mastercard’s PPC works alongside forestry and climate change expert organisations such as Conservation International (CI) and the World Resources Institute (WRI). In many regions, PPC partners are launching two types of campaigns: one in which the partners donate on behalf of consumers and the other in which consumers can make their own donations.
The commitment is to plant a tree for each new Correos Prepago card; Correos’ prepaid card solution. The Correos Prepago card is the Spanish equivalent of Royal Mail’s Travel Money card. Correos has marketed the card as ‘the perfect solution’ to carrying finances whilst on the go.
Solutions like the Correos Prepago card are particularly poignant when considering that thousands of travellers are about to embark upon Spain’s Camino de Santiago; an ancient 500-mile route that journeys through 15 of Spain’s most spectacular regions.
Travellers will be actively seeking solutions to carry their cash securely, and this is one area where the Correos Prepago card excels. The Camino de Santiago typically begins in April and lasts until around October, so we can expect to see a significant and imminent uptake of this service.
So ultimately, more cards mean more trees planted.
These cards will be made from recycled PVC, a material that has been recovered and transformed with the purpose of being reused. In this way, Correos is contributing to putting environmentally-friendly means of payment into circulation and demonstrating its commitment to sustainability and the future of the planet.
“Mastercard is committed to building a more inclusive and sustainable digital economy, where people, communities and the planet can thrive,” explains Paloma Real, country manager at Mastercard Spain. “We are delighted to welcome EML and Correos to our Priceless Planet Coalition, who share our commitment to being a force for good in the world to unite in action and create exponential impact for the environment.”
Together, EML and Correos have expressed their commitment to a more sustainable economy, something both are actively doing by joining Mastercard’s PPC and through the distribution of eco payment card options; with cards made from recovered ocean plastics reportedly coming soon.
“We’re honoured to continue to work directly with our longstanding clients in Spain, Correos, and Mastercard Spain, to achieve our goal of planting 15,000 trees,” expressed David Curneen, Group COO at EML. “Helping to ensure the wellbeing of the planet is a major focus of our corporate environmental responsibility.”
