Can a social media app drive positive change for sustainability?
Vigas Garg, founder of Abillion, speaking at the Plant-Based Asia Summit this week, shared how the social platform helps consumers make better choices for the planet.
Abillion is a social media/consumer review platform built on a community of users interested in eco-friendlier options. It works in two ways.
First, a user can post a review in a place that offers a vegan or vegetarian option. According to the company, the restaurant doesn’t have to serve exclusively vegan. In addition, for every review of a vegan dish or a sustainable product, the company donates $1 to a social cause chosen by the reviewer.
Secondly, users can easily find vegan options and cruelty-free products through the app’s search functionality, where they can find places, including real reviews from the community.
“So that’s really what we’re trying to do, to point people in the direction of great options,” Garg explained. “We’re really trying to build this platform where the consciousness around the choices that you make have a knock-on effect.”
He added that he wanted to inspire more people to enter this lifestyle easier and not feel like it’s a struggle or sacrifice.
Since the app’s launch in 2018, it has expanded to more than 130 countries, has more than 30,000 consumer brands, and 40,000 restaurants on the platform worldwide. It also has donated nearly US$1 million to fund organisations driving impact for the planet, from animal welfare to food insecurity.
“So, it really is, it’s an Instagram of the plant-based world,” said Garg.
“People are actually sharing things that actually cause a good impact rather than no impact at all,” he concluded.
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