More than 70 employees from Beard Construction offices across the South of England came together at the company's 194-acre Wrington Warren woodland near Bristol to plant over 130 trees, marking the completion of the first phase of a major woodland management plan.

The initiative forms part of Beard's wider environmental strategy, which includes the planting of 12,000 trees at the site since the company acquired the land in 2022. Guided by a forestry expert, staff from the firm’s Bristol, Swindon, Guildford, Oxford and Southampton offices planted a range of native tree species and took part in an educational woodland tour, before enjoying a celebratory hog roast lunch.

Beard purchased Wrington Warren to contribute to carbon sequestration and reduce its long-term environmental footprint. Trees naturally absorb and store carbon, and the company sees the site as a key asset in helping meet sustainability goals.


The tree-planting initiative aligns with Beard’s growing focus on delivering community value. In 2024 alone, the company generated £8.5 million in social and economic value across eleven completed construction projects, equating to 24% of total contract value. An additional £200,000 has already been delivered by 33 live projects this year, and Beard's central teams contributed a further £16,700 in impact through roles in finance, IT, HR, and communications.

Beard began formally recording its community contributions in January 2024, appointing Paula Baleson as social value manager and creating a dedicated framework to guide this work. The company has since promoted four regional coordinators from within and recently appointed Hannah Phillips, an environmental studies graduate, as Swindon’s social value coordinator—ensuring each region now has a dedicated lead.

Beard's charitable efforts have also been noteworthy in 2024, with the company raising £100,000 for good causes. This total includes contributions from the Beard Charitable Foundation, reinforcing the firm's commitment to giving back to the communities it serves.