Vancouver-based B Corp Fairware (asi/191452) is eager to kelp the environment.

The distributor, which has a focus on ethically and sustainably sourced promotional products, announced a partnership with veritree to plant 10 kelp along the Pacific coast of British Columbia for every order that it invoices, starting from January 2023 onward.

“As we look for solutions for our climate strategy, veritree was an obvious fit. Their sister company tentree has been a longtime supplier partner of ours for sustainable apparel and accessories,” said Denise Taschereau, one of Fairware’s co-founders. “We’re excited that we can bring transparent, verified nature-based solutions to our climate strategy.”

Veritree was launched by the founders of tentree, which plants 10 trees for every one of its products purchased. The company was created to provide transparency and verification for the tree-planting process through a dedicated data-driven restorative platform. With on-the-ground monitoring and blockchain verification, veritree provides real-time access and visibility to restorative projects. Fairware notes in a blog post about the partnership that veritree gives the distributor “assurance that our restorative efforts are helping to revitalize ecosystems, strengthen communities and mitigate climate change.”

Though veritree also helps with traditional tree-planting initiatives, Fairware decided to focus on kelp, in part because it will help improve the environment in its home community. Kelp forests – underwater areas with a high density of the seaweed along coastlines – support biodiversity, coastal fisheries and livelihoods. And they have potential as a carbon sink, helping to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Globally, more than 40% of kelp forests have declined over the past five decades due to climate change, overexploitation and pollution. Fairware wants to help address this very issue through its partnership with veritree.

“Restoring the planet requires collective action, and we’re thrilled to partner with Fairware to make a meaningful impact,” said David Luba, head of partnerships and cofounder at veritree. “By restoring kelp forests with a company that shares our values and commitment to sustainability, we’re not only mitigating climate change, but also supporting marine life and local communities. This partnership demonstrates how businesses can work together to drive positive change for people and the planet.”

Fairware, according to its public veritree dashboard, has facilitated the “seaforestation” of 2,870 kelp plants in British Columbia’s Hotham Sound so far. That amounts to about 310 square feet of ocean area restored.

Veritree, along with its brand partners, has set a goal to plant over 1 billion verified trees by 2030, and so far, it’s had more than 21 million verified trees planted, according to its website.

Fairware isn’t the only promo company to partner with veritree. In April, ETS Express (asi/51197), an independent subsidiary of Top 40 supplier PCNA (asi/78897) launched a giveback initiative to plant 250,000 trees in Tanzania and British Columbia over the next few years through veritree. And in January, Social Imprints (asi/164607) announced a pledge to plant 40,000 mangrove trees in Mombasa, Kenya in 2023.

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