Without rainforests and other natural habitats, we would not only lose the wondrous biodiversity which makes them beautiful, but also the vital ecosystem services which we humans rely on.


At Nikwax, we feel that all people have a responsibility to do what they can to protect what is left of the natural world. That’s why we put money aside to fund conservation and reforestation in some of the most threatened areas of our planet.

Working with the World Land Trust

Like any other area of the business we want to make sure that our money is well spent. Donating to World Land Trust is the best way we can find to ensure that threatened ecosystems are protected, not just today, but forever. The World Land Trust strategy is to use donations to purchase land in areas of ecological importance, and work with local partners and communities to manage the reserves sustainably.

Working with local people is at the core of World Land Trust’s philosophy. Land protection is ultimately handed over to local NGOs, who are best placed to gain the support and understanding of the communities involved. Small-scale sustainable development projects allow the reserves to support themselves, ensuring their long-term survival.

Visit the World Land Trust website to find out more

Nikwax’s Contribution

At Nikwax we have been calculating our primary carbon dioxide emissions since 2007. Every year since then we have offset those emissions, plus an estimated figure for a pre-2007 year, by donating to WLT’s Carbon Balanced Programme. These funds are used to regenerate damaged areas of habitat and prevent further deforestation by extending a range of reserves throughout Ecuador.

As well as a donation to cover our carbon footprint, we make a matching donation for use in World Land Trust’s most urgent appeals. The WLT Action Fund provides the means to make land purchases where ecosystems are under imminent threat. The following map shows some of the projects which have directly benefited from Nikwax support.

How to offset your emissions

Working with the European Outdoor Conservation Association – EOCA

The European Outdoor Conservation Association is a group of businesses in the European outdoor industry who have come together to raise funds for conservation projects to give back to the great outdoors. Since its foundation in 2006, EOCA has supported over 140 projects with over €3.6 million, raises funds from across the outdoor industry, and uses them to support conservation projects nominated by its members. By the end of 2012, EOCA will have contributed more than €1 million to conservation projects around the world.

Nikwax has worked closely with EOCA since its foundation in 2006. Our own founder and MD, Nick Brown, is now Vice President of the association. Nikwax working alone can only ever achieve so much, so cooperating with other businesses is an important way to spread the word and encourage wider participation. The projects chosen cover a variety of locations and topics. Thus far, projects have included the establishment of an environmental trail in Nepal, cleanup operations on a mountain peak in Kyrgyzstan, the protection of brown bears in northern Spain, and replanting of native ‘virgin’ forests in the Czech Republic.

Visit the EOCA website