SumUp Continues its Global Commitment to the Environment in 2025 with Initiatives Across Europe, Latin America and Asia

For the fourth consecutive year, global fintech, SumUp has reaffirmed its dedication to making a meaningful and lasting impact through its environmental initiatives.

Guided by its mission to champion small business ownership globally and its “3Es” framework – focusing on Environment, Education, and Entrepreneurship, SumUp remains committed to extending its impact beyond empowering small business owners across the globe as a proud member of the global “1% for the Planet” movement. Since 2021, SumUp has been allocating 1% of the net revenue generated from its flagship Solo card terminals to environmental conservation efforts, as well as for educational and entrepreneurial projects around the world.

As global recycling rates fall for the eighth year running*, companies taking action and supporting the charities and organisations that are making a difference is more important than ever. To help tackle the growing plastic waste crisis, SumUp has extended their partnership with Belgium-based charity, River CleanUp. SumUp also extended their commitment to environmental initiatives across South and Central America through their work with Wilderness International and StoveTeam International. In addition to sustainability initiatives, SumUp continues to promote social mobility through education opportunities across the globe. SumUp is now in its fourth year working with American NGO, Generation, who offer free tech training and education to unemployed minority youth in Latin America. SumUp also continues to work with the Rusalya Association in Bulgaria and Cursinho Popular Transformação and Associação Comunitária MonteAzul in Brazil to help improve access to education for students from vulnerable backgrounds. In line with SumUp’s mission to lower barriers to entrepreneurship globally, it has also funded a new programme – called the JAYA – with Indian charity, DharmaLife, as well as working with CapacitaMe in Brazil to help socioeconomically vulnerable adults enter the workforce.

Environmental Initiatives  

• Having already worked with Belgium-based NGO, River CleanUp, to remove 215 tons of plastic from the Citarum River since 2022, SumUp are pledging to remove a further 100 tons of plastic in 2025. SumUp also sponsors local awareness campaigns and workshops, designed to instill a culture of environmental consciousness and responsibility. Despite being a key source of drinking water and irrigation for millions of people across Indonesia, the Citarum is one of the most polluted rivers in the world. The Citarum River’s preservation has major implications for public health, environmental sustainability and economic development, heightening the importance of SumUp and River CleanUp’s campaign. 

• Together with Wilderness International, SumUp have helped protect 300,000 m2 of rainforest in Peru, preserving valuable habitats and biodiversity while offsetting 18,000 tonnes of CO2. SumUp is also supporting StoveTeam International to supply 3,000 families in Central America with safe, fuel-efficient cookstoves – reducing lung disease risk and saving 12 tonnes of CO2 per stove by burning wood more efficiently. 

Education Initiatives

• Since 2022, SumUp has been working with American NGO, Generation, to offer free Java Full Stack courses to unemployed minority youth across Latin America. Between 2022 and 2024, 263 students from Brazil, Chile and Colombia successfully completed the program, with over 80% of the graduates securing jobs in the tech industry. In August 2025, two more cohorts of 75 young people will enter the tech job market, highlighting the real world results of the long standing initiative.

• In Brazil, SumUp is collaborating with Associação Comunitária MonteAzul, who provide 350 children each month in the MonteAzul favela with extracurricular activities, cultural projects and psychological care. SumUp is also working with Cursinho Popular Transformação. Transformação prepares 10–20 transgender students each year for academic education, enhancing their personal and professional development opportunities. Additionally, SumUp supported an initiative with Brazilian charity, CapacitaMe, to help 500 vulnerable individuals enter the labour market. CapacitaMe offers free courses and learning opportunities to socioeconomically vulnerable adults to help them further their professional development
  

• SumUp has worked with the Rusalya Association in Bulgaria to improve the quality of education for socially disadvantaged children. SumUp’s funding contributions support 50-70 children at the Dimitar Ekimov Boarding School of Arts and Crafts. With UNICEF data revealing that 11.2% of children aged 3-6 and 5.7% of children aged 7-10 are not in full time education in Bulgaria – this initiative aims to help bring them back into education, rise out of poverty and support their personal growth and development. 

Entrepreneurship Initiatives

• In partnership with the Indian NGO DharmaLife, SumUp has made a positive impact on the lives of thousands of girls in rural India. Building on the success of the Lighting Up Young Minds programme – a digital platform that delivers education to over 10,000 children each year – SumUp now also funds the JAYA programme. This entrepreneurship initiative  supports up to 500 women annually with digital skills training, livelihood opportunities, and access to shared workspaces, while promoting awareness of climate change. The newest innovation, Roshini, is an AI-powered digital mentor designed to help girls develop digital skills and nurture entrepreneurial ideas.

SumUp co-founder, Marc-Alexander Christ comments: “As the first fintech to sign up to 1% For The Planet in initiative in 2021, a commitment to social responsibility and environmental stewardship is ingrained in the DNA of our company. As a global industry leader, we recognise the importance of empowering individuals worldwide to reach their full potential while championing environmental conservation efforts.  Guided by our “3Es” framework – focusing on Environment, Education, and Entrepreneurship. In 2025 we’ve taken action to complete our first double materiality assessment and understand our carbon footprint in preparation for further ESG reporting, doubling down on our commitments to sustainability and social impact initiatives.”

For more information on SumUp’s ESG initiatives and impact, visit www.sumup.com and follow us on social media.

*Source: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/may/16/global-recycling-rates-have-fallen-for-eighth-year-running-report-finds