Environmental Policy
1. Background
Greenwood Group Ltd under the trading name of Greenwood Plants (‘Greenwood’), is a company registered in England and Wales at Companies House.
Greenwood Plants Ltd (‘Greenwood’) places Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) at the heart of its business and aims to lead the horticultural industry in terms of its sustainability position. It is committed to measuring its impact on the environment and striving for improvement, using its ‘Every Plant Matters’ philosophy to prioritise sustainability with its employees, clients, and supply chain.
2. Sustainability Strategy
Greenwood’s Sustainability strategy outlines its vision for achieving sustainability leadership, with clear targets to monitor performance, and a framework which ensures delivery across all areas of the Company in its day-to-day operations.
The strategy aims to become Net Zero and create social value by promoting greener growing practices, reducing waste, enhancing biodiversity, and improving its carbon footprint. The Company is pioneering new practices to use resources efficiently and it is investing in research on carbon accounting to further the understanding of these critical topics, in order to mitigate climate change
By implementing this strategy, Greenwood will reduce its environmental impact and promote biodiversity; empower clients and suppliers to adopt sustainable practices and circular economy principles; plus strengthen its identity as an environmentally conscious and community-focussed business.
2.1 Targets
Greenwood is ambitious, and by the end of 2028 aims to achieve:
- 80% purchased plants peat-free
- 100% head office powered by renewable energy
- 80% reduced chemical growing
- 95% G Cycle rate
- 30 Greenwood Community projects per year
2.2 Growing Greener
Becoming carbon neutral is an important goal for Greenwood, and this means that all operational processes, machinery, tools, and materials are assessed to ensure they are as sustainable as possible.
· Peat-free and reduced chemical growing
Greenwood achieved its goal of growing peat-free by the end of 2023 and is actively encouraging its suppliers to transition to peat-free alternatives too. The Company is focussed on reducing or eliminating chemical pesticides and fertilisers in favour of organic and biological alternatives.
· Energy efficiency
Renewable energy is a major focus, with intentions to power the Company’s operations through solar energy while ensuring all purchased electricity comes from renewable sources. To maximise energy efficiency, Greenwood plans to install more LED lighting, motion sensors, timers, and apply insulation techniques throughout its greenhouses. Employees are encouraged to adopt energy-saving behaviours.
· Water conservation
Greenwood is working hard to recycle water and reduce wastage across all its nurseries. Greenwood primarily uses water from its own harvested water stores, wells, and streams—only using mains water as a last resort.
· Electric & low emission vehicles
Electric vehicles have significant benefits for emissions and reduce air and noise pollution. Greenwood has invested in electric forklifts across its nurseries and has upgraded its fleet to ultra-low emissions vehicles. Electric vehicle charging points have been installed at head office.
2.3 G Cycle
Greenwood’s innovative G Cycle scheme significantly reduces the amount of waste going to landfill and helps preserve valuable resources by encouraging clients to return their crates, pallets, and pots. It also creates a shared standard of sustainability within the supply chain.
- Reduce & reuse
The innovative G Cycle scheme was launched in October 2021, with the aim of increasing the reuse rate of crates, pallets, and pots. To date, more than 50,000 crates and pallets have been recycled, saving a huge amount of resource. The Company’s pot washing machine has enabled Greenwood to clean 960,000 pots so far, preventing a vast amount of plastic from going to waste. The plastic baling machine means it can efficiently crush and bale damaged pots and send them to be recycled.
2.4 Greenwood Community
Greenwood Community has expanded its plant donations to charities, schools, youth groups, village gardens, rewilding projects and other local and regional organisations, to create green community spaces with enhanced biodiversity.
· Community benefits
Greenwood Community has donated hundreds of plants to community projects. Plants provide a whole host of lasting benefits to the environment, such as absorbing carbon dioxide to improve air quality, increasing biodiversity and providing wellbeing opportunities.
3. Legislation & Regulations
Greenwood fully complies with all environmental regulations and legislation, and all of its products and services have been developed in accordance with the principles of its Environmental policy.
4. Practice
The Company practices responsible purchasing, buying sustainably sourced and environmentally friendly products and packaging wherever possible.
Greenwood repairs, reuses, and recycles products to minimise waste, and is transitioning to digital processes across its nurseries.
It has an Integrated Pest Management strategy that employs biological pest control methods and bark weed suppressant to minimise its use of chemical pesticides.
5. Employees
Greenwood’s employees are expected to behave in accordance with its brand values, which includes the value of ‘Sustainability.’ The Company expects its employees to have a full understanding of all of its policies, including its Environmental policy, and act in accordance with this when undertaking their daily duties.
Greenwood is always open to providing training, advice, and information to staff to ensure they understand its ESG goals. Its ‘Every Plant Matters’ ballot boxes and inbox have been set up to offer a straightforward way to share ideas, best practice, and comments to capture its employees’ continuous improvement ideas.
6. Contact
For any questions, queries, or comments relating to Greenwood’s Environmental Policy should be addressed to hello@greenwoodplants.co.uk
– Greenwood Plants Environmental Policy, March 2025