Andrew Griffith MP visits Sustainable Business of the Year, Greenwood Plants, to learn more about its peat-free strategy

Andrew Griffith, MP for Arundel and South Downs, visited Greenwood Plants in Walberton on Friday 18th November 2022. Greenwood came to Mr Griffith’s attention when it was recently named ‘Sustainable Business of the Year’ at the 2022 Central South Business Awards. 

Mr Griffith is a former UK Net Zero Business Champion and is working for a cleaner, greener environment. He is keen to support local businesses that are taking action on the climate emergency. 

Greenwood has been recognised for its pioneering sustainability practices that it has established across its seven nurseries, exercising responsible planetary stewardship, and demonstrating sustainability leadership by applying innovative processes and techniques to minimise its imprint on the planet.  

The landscape supply nursery is an industry leader in sustainability. Over the past year, it has initiated several practices to use resources efficiently, reduce waste, encourage biodiversity, and improve its carbon footprint. Greenwood’s sustainability strategy has clear targets to deliver the company to net zero. 

An initiative that will have a major impact on Greenwood’s net zero target is committing to being fully peat-free by the end of 2023, years ahead of anticipated industry regulation. The nurseries are currently carrying out extensive trials with alternative growing media to support its annual production of more than six million plants. The composition of the growing media is analysed to get the pH, nutrient levels and structure just right to ensure that all plant varieties can successfully transition into peat-free compost. 

Mr Griffith said, “It was a pleasure to visit Greenwood and see its production operation and sustainability strategy in action. I was interested to hear about the company’s plans for improving biodiversity and its expansion into automation”. 

If you’d like to find out more about Greenwood’s sustainability efforts, such as switching to electric vehicles, reducing waste, recycling water and wooden crates, and supplying biodegradable sundries, visit www.greenwoodplants.co.uk/sustainability.