.eco Domain Launches with Support of WWF, Conservation International, United Nations Global Compact, Natural Resources Defense Council, among others

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - April 25, 2017) - Starting today, businesses, organizations and individuals can own a .eco domain, the new dedicated environmental domain extension for people and brands committed to positive change for the planet. The .eco domain comes to market following a nine-year collaborative effort from more than 50 environmental non-profits, all with a shared vision to bring a trusted symbol of environmental responsibility to the Internet.

By registering a .eco web address, brands send a powerful message to consumers about their environmental responsibility and transparency. To activate a .eco domain, users must pledge to support positive change for the planet and list their commitments to environmental action on a public-facing .eco profile. Leading global brands like Tesla, Google and LG have bought .eco domain names, taken the .eco pledge and set up .eco profiles.

"Consumers will recognize .eco as the new global identity for brands and organizations committed to positive environmental change," said Trevor Bowden, co-founder of .eco and Big Room Inc., a certified B Corporation located in Vancouver, BC. "Early .eco domain holders have already inspired a positive ripple effect, encouraging other brands to register and promoting transparency and a new level of accountability in how companies broadcast their social, environmental and CSR mandates."

.eco domain pricing ranges from US $65-$100 annually and is available at more than 60 global domain retailers. To search for .eco domains, visit www.get.eco. Domains will be available today starting at 9am PST.

Over the course of a nine-year campaign to win the .eco domain, the co-founders built a coalition of support among leading environmental organizations that included Green Cross International, founded by former President of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev. Other groups applied for the right to operate the .eco domain, granted by ICANN, the global non-profit that coordinates all domain names on the Internet.

The approach of building global community support for .eco greatly contributed to Bowden and co-founder Jacob Malthouse beating out several rivals for the domain, including a group endorsed by Former Vice-President Al Gore. "The support and encouragement we received from the environmental community throughout our journey was humbling and inspiring. We couldn't have asked for better company in taking on the ambitious task of securing the .eco domain," said Malthouse.

Bowden and Malthouse were both staffers of the United Nations Environment Programme before they set out to secure the .eco domain in 2007, after learning many new top-level domains would soon become available.

"We are thrilled to be part of .eco," said Sid Das, Digital Director at WWF International, one of the organizations that endorsed Bowden and Malthouse's bid for .eco. "It's great to see this domain will be maintained by a community that is passionate about the environment."

Big Room Inc. plans to create an independent foundation that will allocate a portion of the sales of .eco domain names to help fund environmental initiatives. Environmental groups will play a key role in ensuring that .eco funds are responsibly distributed.

Sandra Capponi, co-founder of GoodOnYou.eco, an ethical fashion app that helps users find the ethical rating of clothing brands, remarked on the differentiation gained with a .eco domain, stating it "immediately demonstrates our commitment to environmental sustainability."

Other early adopters already using .eco domain names ahead of the global launch include:

• Koala, a natural cleaning products company, rebranded to Koala.eco.
• Sea Semester, an off-campus environmental studies program, created a landing page for their environmental study initiative at StudyAbroad.eco.
• Greenpeace Argentina is using Oceanos.eco as a short, memorable URL to drive attention to a petition from social media and advertising.
• Vancity, Canada's largest credit union, is using Vancity.eco as a shortcut to their sustainability section of their website.
• Producers of River Blue, a documentary about the fashion industry's impact on the environment, are using RiverBlueTheMovie.eco as their home online.

More information on .eco profiles, .eco champions, and how to purchase a domain, can be found at www.get.eco.

About .eco:

.eco is a new web address ending-known as a top-level domain-for those committed to positive change for the planet. Web addresses using the .eco domain are available to any business, government body, non-profit or individual working toward a sustainable future. The .eco domain is backed by more than 50 environmental organizations including WWF, Conservation International, United Nations Global Compact, NRDC and World Business Council for Sustainable Development and is a trusted symbol for the environmental community. Learn more at www.get.eco.