Vindis Group has marked Earth Day with a pledge to plant a tree with every car its sells as part of a wider bid to become a carbon neutral business.

Facilitated by a new partnership with Tree-Nation, the move forms part of the AM100 car retail group’s commitment to becoming a sustainable, Net Zero organisation by 2030.

Under the new scheme every new and used vehicle delivered across Vindis Group dealerships  will automatically plant a tree in one of the Group’s chosen projects across the globe, including Eden Projects in Madagascar and Nepal, forest conservation projects in France and Thailand and Trees for Tigers in India.

Vindis Group managing director Jamie Vindis said: “This partnership between Vindis Group and Tree-Nation is a significant step forward in our ambition to become a Net Zero organisation by 2030.

“Our mission began with an important switch to sustainable energy sources throughout the group and the continued reduction of our overall CO2 emissions by more than 10%.

“However, we believe that our work has only just begun, and there is much more that we can do as an industry and as a business for ourselves and our environment, and this partnership with Tree-Nation will enable our customers to share and contribute to this journey with us.”

Other projects include the VERRA endorsed offset scheme which has resulted in business operations being Certified Carbon Neutral in 2021.

Vindis’s efforts to become a sustainable business have already seen it adopt a VERRA endorsed carbon offset scheme which resulted in business operations being Certified Carbon Neutral in 2021.

In a special news insight feature AM recently highlighted the added benfits of car retailers considering their sustainability amid soaring energy costs.

Car retailers were later told that the only way they can avoid rising energy costs in a potential crisis resulting from the war in Ukraine is to go “off grid”.

As part of its new tree-planting drive to go green, and reduce its environmental impact, Vindis customers will be invited by Tree-Nation to plant a tree in the project aligned with the vehicle brand that they purchased before receiving a Tree Certificate for each tree planted on their behalf.

They will also gain access to the virtual ‘Vindis Group Forest’ which will give information about the total trees planted and CO2 tonnes offset.

Tree-Nation’s head of corporate partnerships, Nicolas Branellec, said: “Tree-Nation is proud to partner with Vindis Group, as we work together to plant trees across the globe, helping support local communities and become more sustainable through CO2 offsetting.

“By planting trees through the purchase of vehicles, their commitment and support of Tree-Nation will help us fight climate change and create awareness across their large customer base, and indeed the car industry as a whole.”