Gelato releases its 2023 Sustainability Report

Traditionally, consumers rely mostly on mass production. Items are produced centrally and shipped globally. This way of manufacturing leads to overproduction and higher transportation emissions. It’s time to rethink the current model. 

With Gelato, personalized products are produced on demand and as local to the end consumer as possible. That means, a product is only made when it is sold, with 99% of products produced and delivered within the same region as the end customer, and 87% within the same country. This eliminates overproduction and reduces transportation distances, costs, and emissions. Producing locally and on demand is smarter, faster, and greener, which is better for people and the planet.

Additionally, leveraging software and its network of makers, Gelato lowers the barriers for creators and entrepreneurs everywhere by giving them the production costs and delivery speed of large ecommerce sellers without upfront investment. This levels the ecommerce playing field, while also contributing to the shift from centralized mass production to local, on-demand production. 

Long-term, we believe Gelato’s platform can redefine manufacturing.

In the report, we evaluate  sustainability from the aspects of environment, social, and governance: 

• Environment: Gelato focuses on reducing environmental impact by moving the world from centralized mass production to local, on-demand production. Its software connects a vast network of on-demand production hubs, removing overproduction and allowing products to be made locally, reducing waste and transportation emissions.

• Social: Gelato empowers creators and makers globally. With thousands of creators on its platform, millions of orders are fulfilled, creating jobs and impacting lives positively.

• Governance: As a trusted partner, Gelato prioritizes ethical practices, human rights, and data security, partnering with suppliers committed to these principles.

“Supporting all three aspects of sustainability is critical. The social impact of the software and network is considerable,” says Gelato’s Founder and CEO, Henrik Müller-Hansen. “With Gelato, an entrepreneur in, for example, Kenya, with a great idea and little to no capital, can in minutes be able to produce, ship and get paid for his or her product sold in, for example, the US, with no upfront investment in inventory, manufacturing, or logistics - and achieve similar profit margins as competitors 100 times its size. Our software not only enables ecommerce entrepreneurs to compete with large corporations but also supports local production partners as ecommerce continues to grow, helping them create more jobs in their local communities.”

Key highlights from Gelato’s 2023 sustainability report include:

• 99% of all packages were fulfilled in the same region as the end customer, 87% in the same country

• 45,000 new creators ordered from Gelato, gaining access to a global market within minutes

• 100% of partners and suppliers risk assessed in the Supplier Compliance Program and Gelato partnered with EcoVadis to increase transparency and drive positive change in the supply chain