Becoming a MotherBoard Signatory feat. Carbon Re
As a special spotlight on our MotherBoard Signatories, we caught up with Buffy Price, Co-Founder & COO at Carbon Re to discuss why they signed up for the MotherBoard Charter and joined the mission of creating tangible change for mothers in the tech industry.
Firstly, can you please introduce your company and what you do?
Carbon Re is an Industrial AI company on a mission to decarbonise the foundation industries - starting with cement. These sectors are some of the largest emitters of carbon globally, and we believe AI and machine learning can play a transformational role in dramatically reducing emissions while improving efficiency and profitability. Our team brings together deep technical expertise, industry know-how, and a powerful sense of urgency about the climate crisis. We're committed to building a sustainable future, both through our technology and our company culture.
Why did you become a MotherBoard Signatory?
We joined MotherBoard because we want to play an active role in making tech a more inclusive and supportive industry for working parents, and especially mothers. The tech world (and especially the tech startup world) can be fast-paced and high-pressure, but we believe this should never come at the expense of inclusivity, flexibility, and support. Signing the charter is our public commitment to the values we already hold internally, as well as a chance for us to learn, improve, and grow alongside others in the industry.
“We’re looking forward to learning from others, sharing experiences, and contributing to (and hopefully being exemplars of) meaningful change.”
What are you most looking forward to as signing up as a signatory?
We’re excited to be part of a community of like-minded companies who are prioritising these issues. We’re looking forward to learning from others, sharing experiences, and contributing to (and hopefully being exemplars of) meaningful change. It’s also an opportunity to hold ourselves accountable and continually improve how we support our team, particularly as we grow.
Why do you think it’s important to make the tech industry more inclusive of mothers and working parents?
Because talent shouldn’t be lost to inflexible systems. Mothers and working parents bring experience, empathy, resilience, and fresh perspectives. At Carbon Re, we are working on really thorny problems and developing software solutions that have never been built before and we know that diverse teams build better, bolder solutions
“Shift the culture so that things like parental responsibilities, periods, menopause, caring for elderly relatives, are normalised, not sidelined”
What do you think is the main hurdle stopping employers from being more inclusive?
A lot of it comes down to legacy mindsets about how and when work should happen. There’s still too much emphasis on presenteeism over actual productivity and employers often underestimate how much flexibility and trust can unlock motivation and performance, especially for parents juggling competing demands.
What do you the priority should be for creating tangible change for working mums in tech?
Shift the culture so that things like parental responsibilities, periods, menopause, caring for elderly relatives, are normalised, not sidelined
“Ask, listen, and be open to changing how things are done”
Any final words of advice for other companies looking to better support mothers in the Tech Industry?
Start with empathy. Ask, listen, and be open to changing how things are done. As a young company with limited capital, there are some things that we would love to do, but simply can’t at this stage. Being open and honest about this is really important.
Ultimately, companies with truly inclusive cultures don’t just attract and retain amazing people, they also create better, more creative, and more resilient teams. At Carbon Re, we believe in supporting the whole person, not just the employee. So supporting our team through flexibility, equal parental leave, and space to deal with the realities of life, isn’t just the right thing to do, it's how we build a better company.
MotherBoard is a Business Charter, Community & Event Series, driving tangible change for mums working in the tech industry.
Interested in getting involved? Become a signatory today