What is Brownee's business model?

Brownee operates a SaaS subscription-based business model.

Do you take commisions from businesses that sell on the platform?

No. We do not take any commision from businesses that offer their services, products, or solutions on the platform.

Why don't you take commisions like other businesses do?

Brownee is on team SME. And for that reason, we will not take commisions from businesses that sell to our SMEs. This is really important to us and allows us to maintain our integrity. Because of this approach, you can have absolute confidence that the recommendations we provide to you are the ones most suitable for your needs, not for our bank balance.

Can I access Brownee for free?

You sure can! Play our discovery game to get started. We'll give you advice about where you can start and which key focus areas are important to a business like yours. And once you sign-up, we'll also show you recommendations for tangible actions and connect you providers that offer those services. You can even get Brownee points for your engagement. All for free.

Do I need to input my credit card information when I sign up?

No. We'll only ask for your credit card details when you choose to upgrade to a paid subscription level.

What does Brownee cost?

If you choose to upgrade to a paid subscription level, there are two options.
Our Basic plan is $54 per month and our Premium plan is $99 per month. Additional services are available should you need a helping hand.

Is there a monthly or annual subscription option?

There are both! It's completely up to you to decide which one is right for you and your business.

Can I cancel my subscription at any time?

Of course!
If you want to cancel for any reason you can do this directly within the platform and it will only take a moment. You will have access to all the features in that plan until the end of your current billing period.

Can I change my subscription option at any time?

Sure can!
Please contact us if you want to upgrade or downgrade your subscription level, or change between a monthly or annual option and we'll sort it out for you (support@brownee.io).

Are there any hidden fees or additional costs?

Nope, none, nothing.

How does your billing process work?

We use Stripe to process all of our subscriptions.
You will be automatically charged at each billing cycle based on the subscription level that you selected (either monthly or annually). You will be sent a confirmation email with a receipt when the payment has been processed.

Is there a refund policy in case we're not satisfied?

Isn't it even better to try for free?
We suggest you try Brownee for free first. Then if you feel a subscription makes sense, try it with the monthly plan. When you feel confident that Brownee is good for you, then switch to an annual plan to save some money and the monthly hastle of accounting for the payment.

What payment methods do you accept?

We accept all credit cards. You will only be asked for your credit card information when you choose to upgrade to a paid subscription plan.

Does Brownee use any internationally recognised frameworks?

We sure do!
Brownee is grounded in scientific and globally accepted ESG frameworks. Our propritary scoring system leverages the Future-Fit Business Benchmark, adapted with our expert knowledge and secret sauce!

What is the Future Fit Business Benchmark?

The Future-Fit Business Benchmark is a methodology to help business build a better world. Systems science tells us how our economy must be transformed if we are to meet everyone's needs and live in harmony with nature.
The Future Fit Business Benchmark has translated that science into tangible principles, goals, indicators and guides to help any business play its part in getting us there.

What are the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals?

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.
At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership.
They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth - all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.

What does "materiality" mean in the context of ESG and sustainability?

Materiality in ESG refers to the business importance, financial significance, and stakeholder value of a specific ESG topic. Materiality helps you identify and focus on the ESG issues that matter most to your business performance and stakeholder expectations.

What is a "focus area"?

Focus areas are the areas that we have identified in which your business may impact people and the planet. As well as those that are important for your financial success!
We use these to help guide you on which areas you should focus on first.

How do you determine which focus areas are relevant for my business?

We use the internationally recognised and science-based Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development (FSSD) and Future-Fit Business Benchmark (FFBB), as well as drawing from the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

How are my ESG scores calculated?

Your Brownee ESG scores show your business’ progress toward minimising its negative impacts on the world. A higher score means you are closer to the goal of operating within planetary limits and social foundations, in harmony with natural and social systems.
Our scoring system is based on the internationally recognised and science-based Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development (FSSD) and Future-Fit Business Benchmark (FFBB), as well as drawing from the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
We’ll share more details about how individual scores are are calculated in the near future.

What are "Brownee points"?

Brownee points are the way we reward you for taking action.
We understand that sometimes before you can move the needle, you need to set solid foundations with a good plan to get you going. That’s where Brownee Points come in - we recognise your commitment and early steps.
Go ahead, you deserve a treat!

What does Brownee mean by "sustainability"?

When we say "sustainability" we mean all 17 of the UN's Sustainability Development Goals.
These goals recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.

What's the difference between "sustainability" and "ESG"?

ESG focuses on specific environmental, social, and governance criteria important for your business performance and stakeholder expectations. Sustainability is broader, aiming for long-term ecological balance and considering the overall impact on the planet and society.

Why the name "Brownee"?

Because everyone craves a brownie!
And, in fact, everybody really should crave sustainability the same way.

Why should I care about ESG and sustainbility?

You should care, because your customers, staff, investors, partners do. And if they do and you do, that will show in your top line and in your bottom line.

Are ESG and sustainability even relevant for my business?

Sustainability is about your business success as much as about people and planet. So you tell us, is it relevant?

Can I use Brownee within my team to help us get started on ESG?

Yes you can. And we'd love you to!
Our approach is simple and easy for anyone to learn about what ESG is, and how their business can get started. We'll be with you at each step of your journey, providing support and guidance along the way - no matter where you're starting from and what you're goals and ambitions are.

Do I have to engage a third-party provider to take action around ESG?

Not if you don't want to.
We offer lots of actions, resources, and templates that don't require a third-party provider to implement. Many of these are simple, low-cost, and quick wins to get you going.

Can you help me find third-party providers that offer the solutions I need?

You bet!
Our recommendations for actions include vetted suppliers that can partner with you to do what we're suggesting. You can even search for a specific business or solution within your local area.

Are there actions I can take myself that are easy?

Yes, we offer lots of actions, resources, and templates that you can implement yourself. Many of these are simple, low-cost, and quick wins to get you going.

What is Brownee?

Brownee is an ESG action platform. We empower SMEs to be more successful and more sustainable.
With Brownee, SMEs get tailored recommendations for action, can track their progress, start reporting, and benchmark their business. All with a focus on improving financial performance.

What can I do with Brownee?

You can learn about ESG and sustainability, get advice for which actions are best for your business, be connected with providers that offer these solutions, track your progress and improvement, benchmark your business, and confidently share what you've achieved so far with your stakeholders.
And that's just for starters.

What benefits does Brownee provide?

Brownee wants to empower SMEs to take sustainability action, improve, and future-proof their business.
With the Brownee approach your business can reduce your costs, increase your revenue, and manage your risks in a way that aligns directly with how you run your business.

What are some key features of Brownee?

• Tailored Direction - in just 4 minutes we give you advice about where you can start and which key focus areas are important to a business like yours
• Custom Actions - you can immediately choose practical actions that are aligned to your focus areas
• Connection to Suppliers - we can connect you to our vetted partners who can offer the services you require
• Track Progress - you can start to report on ESG progress and impact
• Get Credit - we give you recognition for actions around ESG that you may already be doing without realising
• Build Relationships - we provide an always up-to-date sustainability report so you can confidently report your engagement, actions, ESG scores and impact to your stakeholders.

How is Brownee different from sustainability consultants?

We love sustainability consultants. They have the same purpose as we do, that's why we work with them.
You can find vetted consultants on our platform and vice versa, ESG and sustainability consultants often use Brownee to deliver their services more efficiently.
Admitted, not every business has the budget or resources to afford consultants. Some also would prefer to work with internal resources. With Brownee they now can.

How is Brownee different from ESG reporting tools?

We focus on action and improvement first, reporting second.
Reporting is important, we know and hence why it is included in Brownee. But taking action is dramatically more important, don't you agree?

How is Brownee different from carbon accounting tools?

Carbon is important. And you can find Carbon accounting tools on Brownee.
But there is so much more you can do for people, planet and your profits, so why stop at just Carbon?

What type of businesses would benefit from using Brownee?

Any business really, but we have designed Brownee with smaller and medium-sized businesses in mind.
Those that keep getting forgotten about in all the talk about the big end of town. And those that are in fact the backbone of our economy.

Which industries does Brownee cater to?

All of them, we are industry agnostic!
Everyone is welcome on Brownee, because who doesn't crave one!

Are there new features coming soon?

Yes! We'll be releasing new features every few months, so stay tuned.
If you have a feature request or idea for something that you think would help your business, drop us a note at support@brownee.io.
We'd love to hear from you!

How can I get started?

It will only take 4 mins!
Start by playing our discovery game: app.brownee.io

How can I get help if I need it?

You can contact us at support@brownee.io

How quickly will you respond to a question I have?

We will endeavor to respond to your enquiry within 48 hours, during our working days of Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm AEST.

What does Brownee do with the documents or evidence that I upload?

We may ask you to upload evidence when you answer our series of simple questions about actions that you might already be doing when it comes to ESG.
This evidence will only be used by the Brownee team to validate your responses. It is not an audit or verification. We will not share this information with anyone.

What tech stack does Brownee use?

Brownee is currently built on a no-code/low-code platform called Bubble.

What are Brownee's policies about data security and privacy?

Here is the link to our privacy policy: brownee.io/privacy

I've forgotten my password! Help!

No worries, we understand, it happens to us all!
Simply go to app.brownee.io, click on the Login button on the top right, and then select "Forgot your password?" link.
We'll send you a secure link so you can reset your password.