Since 2007, Nikwax has maintained a strong partnership with the World Land Trust (WLT), an international conservation charity dedicated to safeguarding some of the planet’s most threatened habitats and species. Our relationship forms a cornerstone of our sustainability strategy and reflects our dedication to supporting global biodiversity.
Central to our partnership is our commitment to being carbon balanced. We have donated to WLT’s Carbon Balanced programme since 2018 to offset our scope 1, scope 2, and UK business travel emissions, and we have also offset our historic emissions dating back to our founding in 1977, helping WLT to fund a wide range of critical conservation projects.
The Carbon Balanced programme enables WLT to fund the purchase of land by working with partner organisations on the ground. These organisations work with local communities to ensure they have the support they need to live sustainably with the land, as well providing education on how communities can play a role in local conservation. Without support from Nikwax and other companies, these vital projects, which safeguard biodiversity and restore ecosystems, would not be possible.
Since 1989, direct funding from WLT across all of their projects has protected over 1,340,393 HA of land/habitats, with a further 1,446,171HA co-funded by them. The projects aided by WLT have led to the discovery of 1,737 more species and also, since 1989, they have helped plant 3,362,691 trees – helping to combat climate change and restore important landscapes across the globe.
As climate change accelerates and pressure on natural habitats grows, our partnership is more important than ever. This is why we are proud to support WLT’s newest collaboration: a critical project with ECOTRUST – The Environmental Conservation Trust of Uganda.
WLT and ECOTRUST: A New Conservation Chapter
WLT’s partnership with ECOTRUST focuses on protecting and restoring forests in Uganda’s Albertine Rift, one of the most biodiverse regions on Earth. The Albertine Rift is home to many species threatened with global extinction, particularly within the mountain forest habitats.
The native mountain forests of the Bugoma-Budongo corridor form one of Africa’s most remarkable biodiversity hotspots. They shelter over half of the continent’s bird species, nearly a fifth of all amphibians, and significant proportions of reptiles and plant life. Crucially, these forests are a refuge for primates, including the last 5,000 remaining wild chimpanzees in Uganda, as well as Blue, Red-tailed, and Vervet monkeys, Black-and-White Colobus monkeys, and Olive Baboons. Beyond primates, the surrounding habitats support iconic large mammals such as elephants, giraffes, and lions. Together, these ecosystems not only safeguard wildlife but also deliver vital services for people, including storing carbon, stabilising soils, and regulating water flow.
However, like many forest regions worldwide, the Albertine Rift is under threat. Expanding agriculture, timber extraction, and fuelwood collection have led to significant deforestation, putting wildlife and local communities at risk. WLT’s partnership with ECOTRUST aims to change that by providing a sustainable alternative – funding tree planting and forest protection through the Carbon Balanced programme.
Nikwax, along with other like-minded businesses, balances unavoidable emissions by supporting the project. Our contributions enable ECOTRUST to work with local farmers and community groups to plant native trees, restore degraded areas, and protect standing forest. This locks up carbon that would otherwise contribute to climate change, whilst also providing social benefits such as training, income opportunities, and more resilient livelihoods.
By partnering with WLT, Nikwax demonstrates how business action can extend far beyond a company’s operations, turning measured environmental responsibility into meaningful conservation outcomes. By offsetting historical and current emissions, funding urgent land protection projects, and supporting local communities, this work illustrates that environmental stewardship is not a one-off initiative at Nikwax, but a continuous commitment that can deliver global impact.
