Pledge by UPS
50 Million Trees in Underserved Communities Globally by 2030
Total Trees Pledged: 50,000,000Supporting actions: Sustainable Forestry, Nursery Development, Data and Technological Tools, Workforce Development, Environmental Education,
The UPS Foundation is moving our world forward by delivering what matters. Our focused approach combines our philanthropy with UPS’s global network and the expertise of our people to deliver HELP – Health & Humanitarian Relief, Equity & Economic Empowerment, Local Community Engagement, and Planet Protection – where it’s needed.
Inspired by the passion of UPS volunteers, The UPS Foundation has collaborated with leading environmental partners to plant 15 million trees in 66 countries across six continents by 2020.
Now we’re expanding our work by joining the 1t.org effort: UPS pledges to plant an additional 35 million trees between 2020 and 2030 in alignment with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) reporting period, and reach 50 million trees. Our global commitment will prioritize planting trees in low-income and underserved communities in cities and developing regions worldwide.
With their ability to absorb carbon, slow erosion, and improve soil and water quality, trees are one of our most powerful tools to address climate change and restore our natural environments. But planting trees can also have a profound impact on our individual lives and communities. Through our work, we’re creating jobs and skill-building opportunities, helping farmers grow more crops, promoting better health in cities, and creating spaces for communities to come together.
Our ambition isn’t just to plant trees – it’s to change the relationship that humans have with the environment and each other for the better. As we train thousands of people each year in tree planting, soil regeneration, sustainable agricultural practices, and community engagement, we create a powerful network of advocates that have an impact beyond the trees we planted together.
The UPS Foundation’s global work is always informed by local needs, whether it’s our reforesting effort to support endangered ecosystems in the southeast United States, or our work to improve soil quality and train farmers in conservation agriculture in southern Mexico. Our efforts are wide-ranging and vary by year, dependent on the expressed needs of each community we serve and the guidance of our expert partners. The UPS Foundation tracks all efforts internally on an annual basis.
The Nature Conservancy, Arbor Day Foundation, EARTHDAY.ORG, National Park Foundation, World Wildlife Fund, Keep America Beautiful, the Student Conservation Association, and local community partners
Trees: 35,000,000
In addition to planting trees for environmental stewardship, The UPS Foundation empowers the communities we serve via employment opportunities, environmental and agricultural education, mentorship, skill-building activities, training in air quality monitoring, and community-building in cities. The UPS Foundation requires our tree planting partners to report trees planted and lives impacted via annual impact reports.
The UPS Foundation and our implementing partners adhere to ecologically responsible, climate-informed, and socially responsible tree selection and planting, including by restoring threatened species, planting native species and trees that yield food, and positioning local organizations and individuals to lead many aspects of tree planting and care (including through paid job opportunities).