Forests With Impact
Forests With Impact is a UK Community Interest Company that runs commercial tree nurseries inside prisons, training prisoners in horticulture and growing saplings for environmental and rehabilitation impact, funded by tree sales, donations, grants, and corporate ESG partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- Headquarters—
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Forests With Impact does
Forests With Impact FWI CIC is a UK-based Community Interest Company and social enterprise founded in 2019 that establishes commercial tree nurseries inside UK prisons to combine environmental action with prisoner rehabilitation. The organisation currently operates three prison-based nurseries — HMP Haverigg in Cumbria, HMP Fosse Way in Leicestershire, and HMP Wayland in Norfolk — with more than 250,000 saplings growing at the HMP Haverigg site as of the November 2024 launch. Core technology is operational rather than digital: polytunnels, commercial propagation equipment (including trays supplied by Proptek UK), and recognised horticultural qualification pathways delivered in partnership with industry experts.
The business model is multi-stream and donation-partnership heavy rather than product-sales driven. Revenue and resourcing come from (i) commercial sapling and tree sales, (ii) Founding, National, and Prison Tree Nursery partner contributions from corporate ESG programmes, (iii) individual donations processed via Stripe, and (iv) government grants including Forestry Commission and DEFRA-backed tree-planting initiatives. Go-to-market is event-driven and community-led: site visits, launch events, and a Tree Growing Register product allow individuals and corporates to sponsor and track trees, while a coalition of 28+ partners — including AECOM, Sunbelt Rentals, BSW Group, Wates Group, the Forestry Commission, and HM Prison & Probation Service — provides funding, expertise, advocacy, and operational access. Customers span prisoners and prison leavers (primary beneficiaries receiving national minimum wage and horticultural qualifications), corporate National Partners seeking ESG/social value delivery, Prison Tree Nursery Partners supporting local sites, and individual donors. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; the organisation does not operate a traditional tiered pricing model but accepts donations and tree dedications on request.
Forests With Impact firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Forests With Impact
- Legal name
- Forests With Impact FWI CIC
- Website
- https://forestswithimpact.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Forests With Impact is a UK Community Interest Company that runs commercial tree nurseries inside prisons, training prisoners in horticulture and growing saplings for environmental and rehabilitation impact, funded by tree sales, donations, grants, and corporate ESG partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Forests With Impact industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Social Enterprise Forestry
- NAICS
- Forest Nurseries and Gathering of Forest Products (113210), Forest Nurseries and Gathering of Forest Products (11321), Support Activities for Forestry (11531)
- SIC
- Forestry (800), Agricultural Services (700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Seedling & Sapling Production (Containerized) (AFAMADAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Tree Planting & Establishment Services (Manual/Mechanized) (AFAMACAE), Community Forestry & Indigenous Land Stewardship Services (IMAMAJAM)
Keywords
Forests With Impact business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Sapling/Tree Sales: Income generated from commercial tree nurseries operated within prisons. Trees and saplings are grown and sold to generate revenue that is reinvested into training and support for prison populations and local communities.
- Partnership Contributions: Founding partners, national partners, and prison tree nursery partners contribute through funding, expertise, mentoring, advocacy, and practical support. These partnerships provide financial and operational resources.
- Donations: Individual donations fund equipment, training, and practical support. Donations are processed via Stripe.
- Government Grants: Support from Forestry Commission and DEFRA-backed grants for tree planting initiatives and environmental programmes.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels8 records
Forests With Impact product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Forests With Impact establishes and operates commercial tree nurseries inside UK prisons — HMP Haverigg (Cumbria), HMP Fosse Way (Leicestershire) and HMP Wayland (Norfolk) — employing prisoners on national minimum wage to grow indigenous saplings for sale and distribution. The programme delivers accredited horticultural training, paid work experience, and employment pathways for serving prisoners, while producing native broadleaf trees for partner reforestation, forestry and environmental projects.
Product overview
Forests With Impact is a Community Interest Company (CIC) operating as an industry-led social enterprise. Rather than a unified technology product, it offers a portfolio of interconnected programmes focused on establishing commercial tree nurseries in UK prisons. The core offering is the Commercial Tree Nursery Programme, supported by partnership programmes (National Partnership and Prison Tree Nursery Partnership) for organisations, and a Donation Programme for individuals. The Tree Growing Register service allows trees to be sponsored and tracked. Together, these create a complete ecosystem connecting environmental action with prisoner rehabilitation, skills development, and employment pathways.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Commercial Tree Nursery Programme Establishes commercial polytunnel-based tree nurseries inside UK prisons, employing prisoners on national minimum wage to grow indigenous saplings and providing accredited horticultural training. Customers include government forestry bodies, local authorities and environmental partners that purchase the saplings for reforestation and tree-planting schemes.
- National Partnership Programme Corporate partnership offering that enables organisations to fund and support the prison tree nursery programme, with named tiers such as Diamond and Gold. Partners contribute to operational costs and help prisoners gain qualifications and employment outcomes.
- Prison Tree Nursery Partnership Operational agreement with Her Majesty's Prison Service that allows Forests With Impact to set up and run commercial nurseries inside participating prisons such as HMP Haverigg, HMP Fosse Way and HMP Wayland, with prisoner participation supplied by the prison.
- Donation Programme Public-facing donation service enabling individuals to financially support the programme through one-off and recurring contributions processed via Stripe, contributing to prisoner training, wages and nursery operations.
- Tree Growing Register Online dedication service that lets individuals, families or organisations dedicate a growing sapling in a prison nursery to a named recipient, providing a record of the tree's growth, species and planting location.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 250,000 saplings growing at launch
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Forests With Impact
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Forests With Impact technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Forests With Impact partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
24 partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and regional.
- Sunbelt RentalscoreUK's largest equipment rental provider and founding partner of Forests With Impact. Committed to driving meaningful and systemic change by providing upskilling and employment opportunities aligned with their long-term sustainability strategy. Sarah MacGregor, Programme Founder and Lead, serves as Head of Social Sustainability at Sunbelt Rentals.
- AECOMcoreWorld's trusted infrastructure consulting firm and founding partner. Provides specialist expertise aligned with their Sustainable Legacies strategy and ESG commitments. Craig Owen serves as Director and Justice Sector Lead at AECOM and attended the launch event.
- BSW GroupcoreUK's largest integrated forestry and timber business and national partner. Decision to join driven by alignment to core values of sustainable forestry and community development. Gavin McLaughlin serves as Head of ESG at BSW Group.
- Wates GroupcoreLeading privately-owned construction, residential development, and property services company and partner. Supports Forests With Impact to drive social value and achieve environmental goals while creating positive change in people's lives. Dale Powell serves as Social Value Manager at Wates Group.
- Arena GroupsupportingPremier provider of innovative event and venue management solutions and event sponsor for the launch. Donated an event structure and provided hands-on role in set-up and organisation. Ross Robertson serves as Managing Director of Arena UK & Europe.
- Forestry CommissioncoreGovernment body responsible for protecting, expanding, connecting and promoting sustainable woodlands. Provides expertise, advice and support on grants and incentives for woodland creation, woodland planning and management, and tree health.
- HM Prison & Probation ServicecoreGovernment body that carries out sentences given by courts, in custody and the community, and rehabilitates people in their care through education and employment.
- Raphael Rowe FoundationcoreSocial enterprise with vision to end dehumanisation of people in prison and build safer societies. Works with those who administer prison systems to inspire them to abolish dehumanising practices and put more emphasis on health, education and rehabilitation.
- OffploycoreOrganisation that believes in fair chances and human capacity for change. Regardless of background or past choices, everyone deserves a brighter future when ready for it.
- Raise Cumbria Community ForestregionalBrings together communities, landowners, policy makers and artists to co-create sustainable woodland in diverse landscapes to address the climate crisis and improve health, wellbeing and opportunities of Cumbrian people.
- Mylo CommunicationssupportingSpecialist in marketing, communications, customer, culture and social impact led transformations. Emma Johnson serves as Director at Forests With Impact and Managing Director of Mylo.
- Collin McHughsupportingExperts in the Corporate Social Responsibility agenda, looking to maximise the impact that a well-implemented programme can bring to businesses.
- Elsoms TreessupportingDedicated nursery that supports selecting species and collecting seeds from planning stage. Grows and supplies 1 to 3-year-old plants to highest environmental standards, prioritising local facilities for accountability and health.
- Tilhill ForestrysupportingSustainable forestry and woodland management company providing expert services and investment support. Part of UK's largest forestry and timber business, delivering integrated end-to-end service.
- HMP HaveriggcoreMen's open prison near Millom in Cumbria. Host of the first commercial tree nursery launched on November 15, 2024. Jo Marsden serves as Founder of Forests With Impact and Learning & Skills Manager at HMP Haverigg.
- Geraint RichardscoreHead Forester to His Majesty The King and the Duchy of Cornwall with extensive expertise in sustainable woodland management. Serves as Ambassador for Forests With Impact.
- Raphael RowecoreAcclaimed journalist, presenter, and Netflix documentary maker, former prisoner, and Ambassador for Forests With Impact. Described the launch as inspirational and programme as 'a movement for change'.
- Bechtel and Cavendish NuclearregionalBechtel helps customers deliver projects of purpose that create lasting positive legacy. Cavendish Nuclear is part of Babcock International Group's Nuclear Sector providing critical nuclear solutions across Clean Energy, Defence and Civil Decommissioning markets.
- Cumbria ConstabularyregionalPolice force serving Cumbria, participating as regional partner in the social enterprise ecosystem.
- Cumbria Local Enterprise PartnershipregionalOne of 38 LEPs in England playing vital role in driving forward economic growth. Regional partner supporting forests and communities in Cumbria.
- Department for Work & PensionsregionalUK's biggest public service department responsible for welfare, pensions and child maintenance policy. Administers State Pension and range of working age, disability and ill health benefits to around 20 million claimants.
- Growing WellregionalTargeted and specialist mental health intervention championing recovery through outdoor activity in three Cumbrian market gardens.
- Sinclair and WestlandsupportingGrowing media specialists at the forefront of innovation and performance. Their comprehensive product range consistently delivers optimum growing technology to produce healthy, vibrant plants.
- Proptek UKsupportingOne of world's leading propagation technology companies developing propagation trays and containers that deliver real benefits to growers and commercial propagation nurseries.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Forests With Impact competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Groundwork UK: Federated UK charity network delivering environmental regeneration and community programmes, including tree planting. Comparable in combining environmental action with community/employment outcomes, though at much greater geographic scale.
- The Conservation Volunteers: Long-standing UK environmental charity engaging communities in conservation activities including tree planting. Comparable in mission and volunteer/employment-led model, but at national scale with broader conservation focus.
- Tilhill Forestry: Major UK sustainable forestry and woodland management company providing end-to-end forestry services. Comparable as an established UK forestry operator and listed partner of Forests With Impact.
- Catch22: Large UK social enterprise delivering rehabilitation, education and employment services, including in prisons. Comparable as a scaled prison-focused social enterprise with overlapping rehabilitation and employment-pathway objectives.
- BSW Group: The UK's largest integrated forestry and timber business, producing seedlings and operating timberland at scale. A partner of Forests With Impact but also a direct commercial comparator for sapling production and forestry services.
Direct peers
- The Woodland Trust: The UK's largest woodland conservation charity, actively planting and restoring native trees across the country. Directly comparable to Forests With Impact in mission (UK tree planting and biodiversity) while operating at vastly greater scale and as an established non-profit.
- The Clink Charity: UK charity that runs training restaurants inside prisons to rehabilitate offenders through hospitality. Closely comparable to Forests With Impact's prison-based social-enterprise model and rehabilitation-through-work thesis, though operating in catering rather than horticulture.
- Trees for Cities: UK charity focused on tree planting in urban areas, including programmes that engage disadvantaged communities. Highly comparable to Forests With Impact in combining tree-planting activity with social-impact delivery to under-served populations.
- Elsoms Trees: UK commercial tree nursery producing 1-3 year old plants for forestry and conservation. Directly comparable to Forests With Impact's commercial nursery operation and also listed as a partner of the organisation.
Emerging players
- Novus: UK provider of education, training and employability services in prisons. Comparable to Forests With Impact as a prison-based provider focused on qualifications and post-release employment pathways, though focused on broader education rather than horticulture.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Forests With Impact social profiles
Digital presenceForests With Impact financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Forests With Impact leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Forests With Impact funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Forests With Impact M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Forests With Impact
What does Forests With Impact do?
Forests With Impact establishes and operates commercial tree nurseries inside UK prisons — HMP Haverigg (Cumbria), HMP Fosse Way (Leicestershire) and HMP Wayland (Norfolk) — employing prisoners on national minimum wage to grow indigenous saplings for sale and distribution. The programme delivers accredited horticultural training, paid work experience, and employment pathways for serving prisoners, while producing native broadleaf trees for partner reforestation, forestry and environmental projects.
Is Forests With Impact a public or private company?
Forests With Impact is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Forests With Impact founded?
Forests With Impact was founded in 2019. It employs 1 to 10 people.
How does Forests With Impact make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Sapling/Tree Sales are the primary driver. The others are partnership Contributions, donations and government Grants.
Who are Forests With Impact's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Groundwork UK, The Conservation Volunteers, Tilhill Forestry, Catch22 and BSW Group. Direct peers are The Woodland Trust, The Clink Charity, Trees for Cities and Elsoms Trees. Novus is listed as an emerging player.
Does Forests With Impact have an API?
No public API is recorded for Forests With Impact.
What industry is Forests With Impact in?
Forests With Impact's product category is Social Enterprise Forestry. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAMADAD, Seedling & Sapling Production (Containerized), with a secondary code of AFAMACAE, Tree Planting & Establishment Services (Manual/Mechanized). Its NAICS code is 113210 and its SIC code is 800.