Gifts That Plant Trees: A UK Guide for Employers
Gifts that plant trees can be a lovely way to say thank you, as long as you know what you are buying. In the UK, you can fund a single sapling for around £10, or buy trees in bulk for much less per tree. You can give them as a certificate, a sponsored tree or a donation made in a colleague’s name. The best results come when the tree is paired with something your team can hold, open and enjoy.
This guide is for employers, HR teams and managers. It covers the main types of tree gift, what they cost, how to avoid overstating the impact, and how to turn a digital certificate into a gift that feels personal.
TL;DR
A tree gift usually means a donation or sponsorship. It is a thoughtful CSR gesture, not a carbon offset, unless the trees are retired as verified credits.
A single sapling donation is typically around £10 in the UK. Bulk corporate programmes can bring the cost per tree far lower.
Look for UK projects with location data, species details and proof of planting, ideally linked to the Woodland Carbon Code.
A certificate alone can feel remote. Pair it with a physical gift, such as a letterbox gift or an eco-conscious gift box, so people feel the appreciation.
Be modest in your claims. Tree planting works best alongside real efforts to cut your own waste and emissions.
Table of Contents
Why trees make such a meaningful gift
A tree is a gift that keeps on giving. It grows for decades, shelters wildlife and is something your team can feel proud to be part of. For staff, a tree in their name says: we thought about you, and we thought about the world you live in.
There is also a practical reason to plant in Britain. Forest Research reports that woodland covers 13.5% of the UK’s land area as of March 2024. A corporate tree-planting platform puts the European average at around 37%, so there is a lot of room for new native woodland.
For employers, a tree gift also fits neatly into recognition schemes. It suits:
Work anniversaries, where one tree marks each year of service.
Welcome gifts for new starters, which show shared values from day one.
Team milestones, such as a project launch or a record quarter.
Client thank-yous, when you want a gift that is not another branded pen.
Seasonal gifting, especially at Christmas, when many people already own plenty of things.
The main kinds of tree gift
Not every tree gift works the same way. Knowing the differences helps you pick the one that suits your budget and your values.
1. Donation-style tree planting
You give a set amount to a conservation charity, and it plants and looks after trees. The National Trust, for example, has a Plant a Tree page with a suggested £10 donation per sapling, and larger amounts that fund more trees or an established orchard. This is simple and well suited to individual gifts.
2. Sponsored trees in a named place
Some estates and woodland owners let you sponsor a tree for a colleague, a partnership or a milestone. Blenheim Estate’s sponsor-a-tree scheme lists corporate celebrations among its options. This gives the recipient a place they can visit, which makes the gift more personal.
3. Bulk, on-demand corporate planting
If you want to give hundreds of gifts, such as one tree per employee, buying in bulk makes more sense. Some providers let you buy in any quantity with no subscription for client gifts, employee rewards or milestone celebrations. Research suggests bulk options can start from around 50p per tree, depending on scale and verification level.
4. Conservation partnerships
Larger organisations can join a longer-term programme. Forestry England has invited businesses to join its Future Forests Collective to help plant trees and protect wildlife, and Trees for Life offers business partnerships in Scotland. This suits employers who want a lasting story, not a one-off gesture.
5. Team planting days
Instead of giving a certificate, you can take your team outdoors. Corporate planting days are planned and delivered by specialist providers, and they double as team building and well-being time. You can then send everyone a small keepsake afterwards.
Quick comparison
Type | Best for | Typical scale | Personal touch |
Donation-style planting | Individual thank-yous | One to a few trees | Certificate or e-card |
Sponsored tree in a named place | Anniversaries, partnerships | One tree | A real site to visit |
Bulk corporate planting | Whole-company gifts | Hundreds or thousands | Low, unless paired with a physical gift |
Long-term partnership | ESG storytelling | Landscape scale | Shared company story |
Planting day | Team engagement | A group | High, shared experience |
Tree planting is not the same as carbon neutral gifting
Many readers arrive here asking about carbon neutral gifting. It is worth being clear: a tree-planting certificate is normally a charitable donation or CSR gesture. It is not automatically a verified carbon offset.
Practitioners warn that to claim carbon neutrality, or to offset residual business emissions, the trees need to be retired as verified credits on a recognised registry, such as the Verified Carbon Standard or the Woodland Carbon Code. Plenty of platforms sell tree planting without those credits, and this is a common point of confusion.
In practice, that means:
Do not describe a £10 sapling gift as making your business or your gift “carbon neutral”.
Do describe it honestly, for example: “we have funded a native tree in your name”.
If you need to report emissions reductions, speak to a specialist about verified carbon credits and your reporting obligations, and keep them separate from your gifting budget.
The Woodland Trust explains that its Woodland Carbon scheme is certified by the Woodland Carbon Code and uses native trees sourced and grown in the UK and Ireland. That gives you a sense of what a certified project looks like. For a published example of a woodland scheme registered under the code, see this GOV.UK case study of a 50-hectare woodland creation project.
What to check before you buy
A good tree gift is transparent. Before you commit, run through this checklist.
Where will the trees be planted? UK projects tend to resonate with staff and keep the story local. Ask for the region and the site.
Which species? Native broadleaf planting generally supports biodiversity better than a single fast-growing species. Ask for a species breakdown.
Is there evidence? Industry guidance suggests looking for GPS-tagged location data, species details and evidence of planting, rather than unverified estimates of carbon captured.
Who looks after the trees? Planting is only the start. Ask how young trees are protected and maintained.
Is it registered? If you plan to make any carbon claim, look for the Woodland Carbon Code or a recognised registry.
Is it a one-off or a relationship? Long-term, landscape-scale partnerships are more credible than a single planting event, according to the guidance shared by Forestry England in the research we reviewed.
Is the certificate usable? Can you personalise it with a name, a message or your company logo, and deliver it by email or print?
How to make a tree gift feel like a gift
Here is the honest challenge with tree gifts: a PDF certificate is easy to forget. People often receive it, say thank you, and move on. If you want the gesture to land, give it a physical home.
A few ideas that work well:
A letterbox gift with a tree card. Send a small, thoughtful box through the post with a note explaining that a tree has been funded in the recipient’s name. It reaches remote and hybrid staff just as easily as office-based colleagues.
A wellness box and a tree. Pair a calming selection of treats with a card that says: “We planted a tree so you can take a moment to breathe.”
A vegan hamper for a values-led team. If your team cares about sustainability, a plant-based hamper and a tree donation tell a consistent story.
A hamper for him or for her, with a planting note. The tree turns a familiar present into something with a bit more meaning.
A team tree. Fund one native tree for the whole department, and give each person a small box with a card showing where it will grow.
If you are exploring other eco-minded options too, our guides on examples of sustainable corporate gifts and eco corporate gift ideas for UK buyers have plenty more inspiration.
Timing and budgeting
Tree gifts are flexible, but a little planning helps.
Seasonal planting. Trees are best planted in the cooler months, so many programmes run a planting season rather than a year-round one. Ask when your trees will actually go in the ground, and tell your team honestly. “Planted this winter” is better than implying it happened today.
Lead time for physical gifts. If you want to send boxes with your tree card, allow time for design, sourcing and delivery. Our guide on Earth Day corporate gifts with verified impact suggests planning ahead, and the same principle applies at any time of year.
Split the budget sensibly. At £10 per sapling, a team of 50 would cost £500 for one tree each. At bulk rates, the same sum could fund far more trees. Decide whether you would rather give each person a tree in their name, or fund a larger team planting and spend the difference on a better physical gift.
Think about Christmas. If you are planning staff gifts for the festive season, our guide to employee Christmas gift boxes can help you plan.
Our perspective
We are a family-run gifting company, and we are often asked whether a tree can be the whole gift. Our honest view is that it can be a lovely part of one, and it is rarely enough on its own.
When someone opens a box, they feel looked after in that moment. A tree adds meaning, but it is something they read about, not something they experience. That is why we like to see tree gestures sitting alongside a thoughtfully designed box, rather than replacing it. The two together say: you matter, and so does the world we share.
We also believe in keeping green claims modest. Sustainability practitioners say that tree planting is only one part of a wider journey, and works best when paired with efforts to reduce your own emissions and waste. So we encourage employers to start with what is in their control: environmentally friendly packaging, sensible order sizes and gifts people will genuinely use. Then add a tree if it fits your values.
The point of gifting is recognition. If your team feels seen, you have done the most important part well.
— Craig
Pairing your tree gift with a Sayhey box
We do not plant the trees ourselves. What we do is design and send the box that goes with them. If you decide to fund trees through a charity or planting provider, we can help you wrap the gesture in something memorable.
Our range includes letterbox gifts that arrive through the door, employee gift boxes for staff recognition, vegan hampers and wellness gifts. You can also build your own gift box to match your team’s tastes, or talk to us about custom corporate gifting, including our exclusive swirl box design, with your company logo added at no extra charge.
We offer environmentally friendly packaging and UK-wide delivery, and our service is personal because we are a family-run business. For ideas on how to recognise staff more broadly, take a look at our guide to employee gifting and team reward gifts.
A simple plan you can follow
If you want to get started this week, here is a straightforward way to do it.
Define the purpose. Is this a thank-you, a milestone gift or a values statement? The answer affects everything else.
Choose your tree route. One tree each, one for the team or a planting day.
Check the evidence. Ask for location, species and proof of planting, and be careful with carbon language.
Choose the physical gift. A letterbox gift for remote staff, or a hamper for a team celebration.
Write a personal note. Name the person, say what they did, and explain what the tree represents.
Tell the story honestly. Share where the trees will go and when, and update people later with a photo or location link if your provider supplies one.
FAQ
Is a tree-planting gift the same as carbon neutral gifting?
No. A tree-planting certificate is usually a charitable donation or CSR gesture. To claim carbon neutrality, the trees would need to be retired as verified credits on a recognised registry such as the Woodland Carbon Code. If you are unsure, ask the provider directly what the purchase includes.
How much does it cost to give a tree?
In the UK, a single sapling donation is typically around £10, and the National Trust’s page suggests £10 as a donation level. Bulk corporate options can lower the cost per tree considerably, depending on scale and verification. Always check what the price covers, such as planting, protection and reporting.
Can I give a tree to every employee?
Yes, and it is a popular approach for anniversaries and company-wide thank-yous. Bulk, on-demand programmes are designed for this. To make it feel personal, send each person a card with their name and, ideally, a small physical gift to go with it.
What should I look for to avoid greenwashing?
Look for UK projects with clear location data, a species breakdown and proof of planting. If you want to make any carbon claim, look for registration under the Woodland Carbon Code or another recognised registry. Keep your wording modest and match it to what the provider can show.
What can I send alongside a tree gift?
A letterbox gift, a wellness box or a vegan hamper all work well, because they give your team something to open and enjoy. A short note explaining the tree makes the whole gift feel connected. We can help you build a box around your message.
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