Forest Carbon wins Sustainable Consultancy Award
UK-based sustainability consultancy Forest Carbon — a leader in woodland creation and peatland restoration — has won the Sustainable Consultancy Award at the Global Sustainability & ESG Awards 2024 at Sustainability LIVE London.
Forest Carbon has been responsible for 4% of all woodland creation in the UK over the past 16 years.
Founded in 2006, Forest Carbon has been responsible for 4% of all woodland creation in the UK and has established 22 of the 244 projects in the validation pipeline of Peatland Code — to protect wetlands that are characterised by their waterlogged soils and layers of peat.
‘It re-emphasises the work we’re doing’
Steve Prior, one of Forest Carbon’s Co-Founders, said of winning the Sustainable Consultancy Award at the Global Sustainability & ESG Awards 2024: “It’s a bit of a surprise, I wasn’t ready for that at all.
“It re-emphasises the work we’re doing, other people are recognising it.”
Alongside fellow Co-Founder James Hepburne Scott, Forest Carbon pioneered carbon-financed woodland creation, securing their first contract with retailer Marks & Spencer. This initiative led to the establishment of more than 800 hectares of new woodlands by 2009.
Giving sustainability advice to fellow sustainability off the back of winning the award, Steve said: “Just get on with it and do it!”
The judges were impressed by Forest Carbon’s impressive scaled impact within the UK as well as its clear commitment to reforestation and measurable impact.
About Forest Carbon
As well as this, and recognising the need for standardisation, Forest Carbon played a pivotal role in developing the Woodland Carbon Code (WCC) and later contributed to the creation of the aforementioned Peatland Code.
Forest Carbon's impact is substantial, with 275 new woodlands planted — comprising 13 million trees and more than 3,600 hectares of UK Biodiversity Action Plan Priority Woodland Habitats. These projects are projected to remove 3.3 million tonnes of CO₂e from the atmosphere while providing additional benefits such as flood mitigation and enhanced biodiversity.
But the company’s influence extends beyond direct project implementation. Its work has contributed to the growth of the voluntary carbon market, with carbon credit prices rising from approximately US$3.75 per tonne in 2011 to up to US$31.25 per tonne now.
As well as this, Forest Carbon has been instrumental in shaping industry standards, serving on various advisory boards and technical committees.
Recently, the company has developed innovative "pathfinder" models for peatland restoration on common grazing lands in Scotland, potentially unlocking significant CO₂e reduction opportunities and new revenue streams for rural communities.
Forest Carbon's commitment to sustainability principles is reflected in its own practices as well. The firm contributes US$125 monthly to UK nature projects and transitioned to employee ownership in 2023, ensuring the company's values and success are shared with those responsible for its achievements.
Steven Downes, Editor-in-Chief, Sustainability Magazine, said: “In a world where our connection to the natural world is more tenuous, Forest Carbon deserves a huge ‘thank you’ for pushing back. This award is deserved recognition for its forest and peat bog restoration work.”
The awards
Launched in 2024, The Global Sustainability & ESG Awards 2024 debuted at Sustainability LIVE London on 10, September.
The comprehensive programme acknowledges companies, professionals and projects that have demonstrated exceptional performance, innovation and strategic thinking in a multitude of categories
The awards celebrate the best companies, professionals and projects in sustainability and ESG, and offer free entry for charities and NGOs.
“It was an honour to spotlight such a wide range of incredible companies at the inaugural Global Sustainability and ESG awards,” said Glen White, CEO of BizClik and Sustainability Magazine.
“At a time where it is crucial that companies are getting their sustainability strategy right, it is more important than ever to uplift and celebrate the frontrunners, the innovators and the pioneers who are developing innovative initiatives, projects and strategies that will have a positive impact on the planet for years to come.
“To host the awards during Sustainability LIVE London, where we’ve brought together thousands of the world’s brightest minds in sustainability, is an incredible moment for the sector to celebrate, we encourage many more companies to enter our Awards for 2025.
“Thanks to every company that entered - I say ‘just keep going on your journey’ and a big Congratulations to every company who was shortlisted, highly commended and of course to our 15 winners – we appreciate your input more than you know.”
The Sustainability Consultancy Award
Honouring consulting firms providing strategic, effective guidance for sustainability, the Sustainable Consultancy Award at the Global Sustainability and ESG Awards 2024 shortlisted companies were:
- Schneider Electric
- KEO International Consultants
- Verco
- LRQA
These consulting firms demonstrate exceptional sustainability expertise through innovative strategies and solutions that have wide impact. Not only this, but the companies apply these sustainability principles within their own operations and values too.
Highly Commended: Schneider Electric & KEO International Consultants
In a rapidly evolving sustainability landscape, two consultancies stand out for their innovative approaches and far-reaching impact. Schneider Electric and KEO International Consultants have both demonstrated exceptional expertise in driving sustainable practices across industries and regions.
Schneider Electric's Sustainability Consulting division has made significant strides in supply chain decarbonisation. Their pioneering programmes have engaged over 2,000 suppliers, representing more than 40 TWh of electricity demand. A standout initiative is the 'buyer cohort' model, which enables smaller suppliers to collectively pursue power purchase agreements (PPAs). This approach has led to the formation of six multi-buyer cohorts across various markets, with one operational cohort in North America already securing 250,000 MWh of renewable electricity.
Meanwhile, KEO International Consultants has been at the forefront of sustainable urban development in the Middle East. The firm has been involved in over 90 sustainability initiatives in the region over the past year, including securing the Middle East's first LEED Platinum certification under LEED Cities and Communities for new developments. KEO's innovative digital tools, such as the 'GreenPort™' and 'iCRBN™', have revolutionised environmental site monitoring and city-scale carbon accounting, respectively.
Both firms have also made significant internal commitments to sustainability. Schneider Electric aims to cut emissions from its top 1,000 suppliers by 50% by 2025 through its Zero Carbon Project, while KEO has set ambitious targets to reduce its overall greenhouse gas emissions by 35% from its 2022 baseline by 2030.
These consultancies are not only advising on sustainability but actively shaping industry standards. Schneider Electric's Energize programme, a collaboration among 21 global pharmaceutical companies, has been recognised for its impact on renewable electricity adoption in supply chains. KEO, on the other hand, is leading the way in waste management and landfill gas capture, contributing to significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions across the Middle East.
The Global Sustainability & ESG Awards 2024
Thanks to our esteemed panel of industry leaders who judged the awards:
- Adam Elman, Google EMEA
- Angela Hultberg, Kearney
- Steve Smith, Schneider Electric
- Sophie Graham, IFS
- Courtney Holm, The Holm Edit
- Professor Paolo Taticchi. OMRI, UCL School of Management
- Márcia Balisciano, RELX
- Jane Goodland, LSEG
- Rahul Sareen, AWS
- Kevin Dunckley, HH Global
- Alice Spencer, CISL
The full list of awards categories and winners for 2024 is:
- Sustainability Strategy Award – Geopost
- ESG Programme Award – Liverpool FC
- Sustainable Finance Award – Scala Data Centers
- Diversity Award – Mitie
- Net Zero Award – Klarna
- Sustainable Supply Chain Award – UKL
- Sustainable Technology Award – DuPont Water Solutions
- Sustainable Consultancy Award – Forest Carbon
- Future Leader Award – Anastasia Le
- Executive of the Year Award – Preeti Srivastav
- Project of the Year Award – Amazon: The Amazon Global Refugee Challenge
- Lifetime of Achievement Award – Noel Anderson, Chief Sustainability Officer at American Red Cross
- AI in Sustainability Award – Ndustrial
- Social Enterprise Award – UKL
- Start-Up Award – EasyCep
