Wales’ biggest independent recruitment firm Yolk Recruitment has planted 1100 new oak trees in Blaen Bran Community Woodland, Cwmbran, south Wales, as part of its commitment to achieving carbon neutral status.
The scheme is part of the company’s drive to champion social responsibility through its ‘Yolks in Cloaks’ initiative, where staff members become superheroes by giving back to the wider community.
In its biggest social responsibility campaign to date, Yolk is planting 1100 new oak trees in the community woodland, each of which will absorb, on average, a whole tonne of CO2 over its lifetime.
Blaen Bran Community Woodland is a 100-acre area of privately owned woodland above Upper Cwmbran in Torfaen, run and maintained by a local community group.
Yolk’s Oaks is the brainchild of Nici Jones who heads up Yolk’s Public Sector and Not-For-Profit team. The team was established to support public sector organisations across the UK with recruitment solutions.
Deputy Climate Change Minister Lee Waters, who in December made headlines by promising that every household in Wales would be offered a free tree, said:
“Hats off to all the people at Yolk for responding to the Call to Arms we issued to plant more trees.
“Trees are amazing – they not only help in tackling the climate and nature emergency, they also improve people’s physical and mental health.
“I would urge other businesses to see what they can do and join Yolk in taking practical steps to tackle the biggest challenge facing us all”.
Nici Jones, Director of Yolk’s Public Sector & Not-For-Profit division, explained:
“At Yolk, we are passionate about using our commercial success for good. The climate crisis is one of the biggest challenges facing Wales and the world today, and we want to be part of the solution. Planting new trees is an effective way of helping us in the journey to stabilise our climate. We are delighted that we have been able to plant so many new trees in this beautiful community woodland, which will absorb over 1000 tonnes of carbon over their lifetime.
“We firmly believe that the business community has a responsibility to help create a more sustainable future for all, and we hope that through this initiative we can play our own small part in this effort.
“Clients have commented on how much they enjoy the warm glow of helping to protect the planet while finding the best talent for their teams. Not only are they growing their organisations, but together we are helping to protect our precious natural resources.”
David Williams, Chair of Blaen Bran Community Woodland group, said:
“The vital work we do to protect and maintain this cherished community woodland is only possible thanks to our volunteers’ hard work. Yolk’s support and funding of our tree-planting work will make a massive difference to the woodland, the local environment, and the ongoing battle against climate change.
“As well as helping us all through cleaning our air, planting trees also means we’re creating more dense nature spots, providing extra space and home for diverse wildlife to flourish.”
