• Company: BCG Creations (asi/37693)
• Location: Champlain, NY
• Giveback Model: Sales of wood and recycled cork products to One Tree Planted

When the eco-minded team at BCG discovered One Tree Planted, a reforestation charity, they felt compelled to forge a partnership. By choosing select product categories of theirs (wood and recycled cork) that eco-focused clients gravitate toward, BCG has been able to build its giveback program over the past several years.

Proceeds from each order from BCG’s wood and recycled cork lines go to One Tree Planted’s reforestation efforts all over the world, from the Philippines and Vietnam to Haiti, Northern California and Northern Canada. In total, BCG alone has planted over 1,000 trees.

“It doesn’t matter about sales for us. Our donations have a huge impact.”Sharon Miller, BCG Creations

“We just loved the whole movement,” says co-owner Sharon Miller. “They plant in devastated areas using indigenous trees. And then we provide our clients with lapel pins they can send to end-buyers with a card that says they helped plant a tree.”

While customers often appreciate that they offer the giveback component, Miller says it’s not the deciding factor when they decide to buy. “Mostly eco-minded clients are ordering from these two lines anyway, so they’re looking for something sustainable,” she says. “It’s not always about donating to One Tree Planted.”

And that’s an important point for a company to remember when a giveback program isn’t growing as big or quickly as expected. “It can be a harsh reality, but it doesn’t matter about sales for us,” says Miller. “We know our donations have a huge impact.”