NEWS: Premier Marks £2M Milestone For Trees

Premier is thrilled to announce that its flagship environmental programme, Carbon Capture, has achieved a remarkable milestone, with £2 million donated to the Woodland Trust. This support has funded the planting of 119,869 trees across the UK, which have the potential to capture an estimated 519,132 tonnes of CO2 over the trees’ lifetime. Through this partnership, Premier champions its customers to make meaningful contributions to carbon reduction, certifying them as Carbon Capture companies while supporting the creation, restoration, and protection of native UK woodlands.

Premier’s Carbon Capture initiative provides customers with a practical way to mitigate the environmental impact of their activities. By calculating their CO2 emissions from product purchases, customers can reduce their environmental impact by supporting tree planting projects under the UK Woodland Carbon Code, a government-accredited programme that ensures measurable and long-term carbon mitigation.

The Carbon Capture programme began in 2011 as a way to help businesses mitigate the CO2 emissions from their paper purchases. Since then, it has grown to become the market’s leading environmental initiative, surpassing £1 million in contributions by 2019, with all funds directed solely to the Woodland Trust to fuel reforestation efforts across the UK. This latest milestone reflects the impact of Premier’s collaboration with its customers to achieve real environmental results.

“We’re incredibly proud of reaching this £2 million milestone,” said Dave Jones, group marketing director at Premier. “Through our partnership with the Woodland Trust, we’re supporting businesses to expand their environmental efforts in ways that are meaningful, accountable, and beneficial to the broader environment.”

Premier’s rapid climb from £1 million in 2019 to over £2 million today shows the growing commitment that businesses place on responsible environmental action. As companies increasingly seek effective ways to mitigate carbon emissions, the expansion of the Carbon Capture programme highlights both the relevance and importance of tangible environmental initiatives. This achievement not only reflects the programme’s growth but also underlines the vital role that business-led action plays in environmental stewardship.

Reflecting on the programme’s evolution, Dave Jones, founder of Carbon Capture, shared his pride in its progress: “What started as a simple idea in 2011—to give companies the means to mitigate the CO2 from their paper purchases—has truly evolved. Knowing that it has helped both businesses and our woodlands is incredibly rewarding. We’re grateful to work alongside our customers who share our dedication to sustainability, and we look forward to the impact we will continue to make together.”

“We’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Premier and its customers for their enormous generosity in donating £2 million to our tree-planting efforts. This milestone, achieved through their Carbon Capture programme, will make a lasting impact to our vision of a world where woods and trees thrive for people and nature. We are truly grateful for Premier Paper’s dedication and support in working with us to create greener, healthier woodlands for future generations.” – Sam Tarrant, head of partnerships at the Woodland Trust.

By supporting Carbon Capture, Premier and its customers are contributing to a low-carbon future while enhancing biodiversity and supporting ecosystems through native woodland creation. Premier remains committed to corporate environmental responsibility, offering businesses a transparent and impactful programme to create measurable, lasting environmental change.

In addition to environmental benefits, certified Carbon Capture companies gain the use of the Trust’s Woodland Carbon logo and certificates, whilst also having opportunities to take part in tree planting events with the Woodland Trust, providing a visible, meaningful expression of their commitment to a sustainable future.