Julia Collins

When her first son was born, Julia Collins knew she needed to do something to help mitigate the climate crisis for future generations. So in 2019, she founded Planet FWD, an organization dedicated to empowering sustainable brands with its carbon management platform. Planet FWD’s proprietary technology provides consumer and food service companies with the tools to understand, reduce, and neutralize their carbon footprint, and get on a path to net zero emissions. Collins also created Moonshot, Planet FWD’s climate-friendly snack brand.

Food has always been at the center of Collins’ life and work; she spent her early career at industry-leading food companies such as Union Square Hospitality Group, Mexicue, Murray’s Cheese, and Harlem Jazz Enterprises. She went on to co-found Zume Pizza, where she became the first Black woman to lead a company that reached unicorn status. She currently sits on the advisory council for Launch With GS and the Food for Climate League as well as supporting other diverse early-stage founders as an adviser and angel investor. She resides in San Francisco with her two sons and partner.

About Planet FWD

Planet FWD is decarbonizing global supply chains with its leading climate management platform, designed for consumer companies. Leveraging the largest Life Cycle Analysis database for agricultural production systems, the company helps customers measure, reduce, and neutralize their GHG emissions as well as improve their water, land, and energy impacts. Planet FWD’s core technology leverages robust Scope 3 emissions modeling capabilities, making it the best solution in the market for consumer companies, whose supply chains on average yield 89% of their emissions.

When you look back in five years, what do you hope you and your organization have accomplished?

Our vision is for every organization to reach net zero emissions. Over the next five years, the groundwork will be laid for massive food system changes and we will see these changes beginning to take shape. I hope every major food and beverage brand and food service operator sees a clear path toward decarbonization during this time period and takes action. I hope to see our food and consumer systems emerging as powerful levers in the fight against climate change.

Regenerative farmers will have greater access to capital as they begin to see a premium return for their climate-friendly farming practices. We will also have more data and results to show the efficacy of returning to indigenous farm management practices that are better for people and the planet.

Lastly, I hope that every consumer product will have a carbon label, enabling people to make purchasing decisions in alignment with their desire to live on a healthy planet.

How is the changing climate impacting your work?

At Planet FWD, we’re on a mission to tackle climate change by decarbonizing global supply chains. We have fewer than 90 months to reduce global emissions by at least 40% in order to stave off the worst possible effects of climate change. With 60% of global emissions coming from household goods and services, including groceries, clothing, and personal care items, we believe that decarbonizing global supply chains is one of the most powerful levers in achieving global emissions reduction goals. We are very proud to support consumer and food service companies in measuring, mitigating, and managing their climate impacts.