Moving Beyond Carbon Neutral

At Waiākea, mālama ʻāina (caring for the land) isn’t just a value. It’s our foundation. It’s the heartbeat of everything we do, from the source of our water to the way we show up for our community.

Over the past decade, we've proudly held a carbon-neutral certification. It’s something many companies pursue to balance their environmental impact, and it certainly plays a role in a more sustainable world. As we've grown, so has our awareness of how true impact is created. We’ve realized it’s time to do things differently, more meaningfully, and more locally.

Shifting Our Focus to Kōkua

We’re choosing to move away from our carbon-neutral certification and direct those resources toward something that hits much closer to home: our non-profit, the Kōkua Initiative.

Why the shift? While carbon offsets can help mitigate environmental harm, they often involve foreign programs with limited transparency and a tenuous connection to our ʻohana here in Hawaiʻi. It’s difficult to verify what’s truly making a difference, and honestly, we want to be closer to the decisions, closer to the action, and closer to the people.

Kōkua is our commitment to community-led support, whether it’s helping shelter our kupuna, cleaning local waterways, or supporting local events, our team is there leading the way.

Real Change Happens at Home

We believe impact should be rooted in relationships, talking stories with the community, and showing up. That’s why every dollar we would have spent toward distant offset programs will now fuel direct aid, localized sustainability, and the voices of our community.

This isn’t a step back. It’s a step deeper.

We’re still deeply committed to reducing our footprint through renewable energy, sustainable packaging, and mindful sourcing. But we also believe that climate justice is social justice. Helping our neighbors thrive, especially in a place as sacred as Hawaiʻi, is the most authentic kind of sustainability we can offer.

As we recenter our environmental commitments through Kōkua, we invite you to join us. Support with intention. Connect with causes that resonate. Mālama the land by caring for the people who call it home.

This isn’t just about Waiākea. It’s about all of us working together for Hawaiʻi and for the generations to come.