Charity partnership announcement: TreeSisters

I’ve been a travel agent for a long time now. And I know that as a travel agent, my business is dependent on selling travel, which is one of the biggest contributors to CO2 emissions in the world. I don’t know about you, but I really care about the world we live in! So it’s important to me that I help my clients to reduce their carbon emissions as much as possible, educate them to make responsible choices so that they have a positive impact on their travels, and give back to the planet myself as a responsible business owner.

In that light, I have an exciting announcement to make.

I have partnered with TreeSisters! TreeSisters is a fantastic charity focused on funding ethical, community-led planting projects that take direct climate action. Moving forward, I will be donating a percentage of the profits from every holiday booking made through me to Tree Sisters. No matter how big or small, they will get a cut. That’s because I believe in their cause, and it’s my way of giving back to the planet that we all live on.

What TreeSisters Are All About...

TreeSisters is a charity working to ethically reforest and restore the planet. But they are far more than just a tree-planting charity. Rather than focus just on how many trees are in the ground, they fund ethical, community-led planting projects that improve socioeconomic outcomes in common travel destinations, and have women, community and nature at their heart.

Their focus is to create a world where nature and people flourish in connection, equity and harmony. This means they don’t just plant trees - they also work to challenge dominant power structures, championing gender equality in traditionally male-dominant areas, and bringing Indigenous community voices to the conversation. It’s a very holistic approach to creating a greener, more equal future.

Their work is mainly in Brazil, Borneo, Columbia, Cameroon, India, Kenya, Mozambique, Madagascar, Nepal, Uganda, West Papua and more. But their approach is very different to traditional ‘tree planting’ charities. Instead of focusing on the monetisation of nature (like the £1 for every tree planted campaign), TreeSisters want to highlight the broader impacts and the ethical reforestation of the world – things like water, supply systems, and the communities living and working among these trees. Their work is tough, but they are fighting back against deforestation and inequality in a very real way.

The Real Impact of Travel...

According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), travel and tourism account for between 8% and 11% of the global greenhouse gas emissions (which makes it worse than the construction industry), with aviation making up 17% of that number. From plane flights and boat rides to souvenirs and lodging, tourism has a carbon footprint the size of Bigfoot. And as the number of people who can afford to travel grows, that environmental footprint will only get bigger.

There were a lot of different charitable causes I could have chosen when looking for a partnership. But for me, it was about the bigger picture. Because travel isn’t just about the way you get to your destination, and carbon isn’t the only harmful element to travel. You see far too many people talking about offsetting their carbon footprint by planting a few trees, without giving any consideration to the wider impact they’re having on the environment. After all, it’s not just the effects of carbon that are harmful to the planet. When holidaymakers descend on a destination they can make a big difference, and it’s not always good. If you want to see exactly what I mean and discover some of the negative sides of tourism, just watch The Last Tourist.

So when I was looking for a charity to partner with, I wanted one that wasn’t just about carbon. One that also was aware of the impact you have when you get there, helped people learn about the local people and communities they visit, taught good travel habits, and showed people how to make sure you have a positive impact on every destination you visit.

So Why TreeSisters?

The result? I found TreeSisters. They stood out to me in the travel charity space because their values are completely and entirely aligned with my own. By working with and donating a percentage of my profits to TreeSisters, I, and my wonderful clients, are helping restore our planet, combat climate change, and join the fight for gender equality and ethical reforestation. On top of that, we can be part of a movement that rebalances power dynamics in some of the most deprived areas, empowering women and local communities while putting nature at the centre of all their decision-making.

I want to be a part of that. I want to be involved, in even a small way, in building a greener and more sustainable world for all, while making travel a force for good. Doesn’t that sound like a wonderful bonus when you book a holiday?

If you’re interested and want to find out more about TreeSisters, or maybe even donate yourself, you can visit their website or give me a call and I will be happy to chat it all through.