Image by Dylan de Jonge
On January 15, 2026, Indigo and Microsoft announced a 12-year agreement under which Microsoft will purchase 2.85 million metric tons of soil-based carbon removal — making it one of the largest agricultural soil carbon removal deals ever announced. The agreement supports Microsoft’s commitment to become carbon negative by 2030 while accelerating the adoption of regenerative agriculture across millions of acres of U.S. farmland through Indigo.
At the center of this climate agreement are four Bren alumni, whose work demonstrates how interdisciplinary environmental training translates into real-world impact at global scale.
Bren Alumni at the Center
Bren alumni played key roles in this deal. At Indigo, Eva Wilson (MESM ’23) serves as Sustainability Manager, Max DuBuisson (MESM ’08) is Head of Impact & Integrity, and Alice Chang (MESM ’19) works as Senior Manager for Sustainability Standards. On the Microsoft side, Steph Harris (MESM ’15) serves as Senior Program Manager for Carbon Removal, helping shape the company’s approach to high-integrity carbon removal.
Strengthening Soil and Carbon Markets
Indigo’s soil carbon program works directly with farmers to implement regenerative practices such as reduced or no-tillage farming, cover cropping, diversified crop rotations, and improved nutrient management. These practices store carbon in agricultural soils while improving soil health, water retention, and farm resilience. Participating farmers receive technical support and long-term revenue through verified carbon credits.
The Indigo-Microsoft deal is among the first large-scale soil carbon removal agreements aligned with emerging global standards, including those developed by the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM). It helps address long-standing concerns around measurement, permanence, and additionality.
A Model for Interdisciplinary Impact
For the Bren community, this announcement highlights the impact of interdisciplinary training that spans environmental science, policy, economics, and management. Bren graduates contribute to climate solutions from multiple angles — designing credible carbon markets, advancing agricultural innovation, developing sustainability standards, and implementing corporate climate strategies. Together, these alumni illustrate how Bren’s approach prepares graduates to tackle complex environmental challenges and drive meaningful change at scale.
