LOAD IMAGE: files/category_banners/landing_pages.jpg

Corporate Social Responsibility

The business model is one in which corporate, social, and environmental interests increasingly overlap in the provision of services. Through integration and collaboration, businesses can not only increase profits, but also satisfy customer's needs and solve environmental and social problems.

Business Benefits of Urban Forestry

Desk workers who have a view of nature report greater job productivity and satisfaction, and reduced absenteeism.

Rental rates were 7 percent higher for commercial office properties having a quality landscape.

Greener communities are characterized as being more appealing places for shoppers, including positive merchant interactions and product quality..

Shoppers report increased patronage and purchasing behavior in districts having a quality urban forest, and are ultimately willing to pay 9 to 12 percent more for goods and services in business districts having a mature tree canopy.

Aligning with Urban Forestry
Environmental concerns always rank within the top four consumer issues, making urban forestry a hot-button issue. But ACT takes it one step further by focusing the environment on people. Ultimately, conservation is about empowering citizens to improve the communities where they live and work, so urban forestry is simply about trees in places where there are people. Need more reasons?

80% of the U.S. population lives in urban areas, making urban forestry a gateway issue for businesses eager to enter new markets or increase market share.

Urban forestry brings beauty, shade, and shelter to communities, increasing property values, conserving energy, providing cleaner air/water, and improving social interaction, important economic and quality-of-life issues for the majority of consumers.

Aligning with the Alliance for Community Trees
Ultimately, conservation is about empowering citizens to improve the communities where they live and work. The Alliance for Community Trees is the only national organization working to improve the urban forests where 80% of Americans live- our cities, towns, and villages. ACT's national office assembles coalitions that drive broad environmental success for our more than 180 organizations in 41 states in the pursuit of Clean Air, Green Streets, and Healthy Neighborhoods.

Partnership with ACT gives corporate entities the most mileage and leverage in their communities. Whether it's helping the community to thrive or increasing your market share, ACT knows that you expect much more from the nonprofits you support, and welcome the opportunity to demonstrate our business partnership capabilities through past successes including:

Co-advertising, PR activities, and elevating, building, or differentiating a brand

Leveraging investments into multiyear initiatives and cross-marketing ventures

Growing your customer base at the same time as we grow the philanthropic donor base

Contributing to social well-being by incorporating public education/information in corporate activities and special events

Improve employee morale through volunteer opportunities

Boost your bottom-line through energy efficiency and other investments

Opportunities for Business Investment
ACT's 150 member organizations are located in key consumer markets (e.g., Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, among others), providing opportunities for brand-building and increased market share. In addition, ACT member organizations are led by the top urban tree experts in the country and are supported by over 1.2 million of their own members and volunteers, bestowing partners with prestige, a strong community presence, and an extraordinary reach.

Innovative conservation programs and marketing projects, developed by ACT member organizations across the country, present multiple opportunities for local, regional, and national cause marketing ventures. As corporate relationships grow, new marketing opportunities arise. For example, ACT members such as Tree Trust in St. Paul, Minnesota and TreeUtah of Salt Lake City are expanding their educational reach by providing training to The Home Depot garden centers. They are taking a train-the-trainer approach that will get better quality information about tree selection, native ecology, and proper planting and care into the hands of far more consumers than the organizations could reach directly on their own. Call it viral marketing or technology transfer, the end result is correctly tailored information delivered directly to the end user, via a method consumers prefer.

Contact us to discuss these and other reasons to get involved. We can design a cause-marketing program consistent with your needs and focus.

Find Out More:
Alliance for Community Trees Overview
ACT Annual Report
NeighborWoods Update 2007
NeighborWoods Update 2008
Value of Trees Fact Sheet

The Alliance for Community Trees is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization (EIN # 68-0319301), and also participates in the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC # 12402). To discuss planned giving opportunities, call us at 301-277-0040.