Business Stream has renewed its partnership with climate action specialist Ecologi, backing a restoration project near Mexico’s Laguna de Terminos nature reserve. The Edinburgh-based water retailer’s investment is equivalent to its 2025-26 Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions and supports the planting of more than one million native hardwood trees. The Reforesting the Land of the Jaguar project is expected to remove one million tonnes of CO2 in each 20-year cycle, while creating habitat for endangered wildlife and providing 50 permanent local jobs. It also forms part of Business Stream’s route towards becoming net zero by 2030.
Restoring Degraded Forest Land
The project focuses on degraded and deforested land in south-east Mexico, close to the Laguna de Terminos nature reserve. Through a regenerative forestry approach, the work seeks to restore the local ecosystem at pace, re-establishing native tree cover and improving conditions for species that have been affected by habitat loss.
Business Stream is entering its third year of collaboration with Ecologi, continuing to fund global environmental initiatives alongside efforts to reduce emissions from its own operations. The investment demonstrates a practical connection between corporate carbon management and place-based ecological restoration, with the project addressing forest recovery, climate action and regional livelihoods in one programme.
Jo Dow, Chief Executive at Business Stream, said:
“Since launching our vision in 2019, we have remained committed to doing what we can to help protect the environment. Our partnership with Ecologi allows us to support projects that deliver meaningful environmental and community benefits while we continue to reduce our own emissions and work towards our wider sustainability goals.”
Habitat For Threatened Wildlife
A central benefit of the forest restoration is its potential to create a more favourable environment for the endangered Mexican jaguar. The species has faced severe extinction risks for decades as a result of deforestation and poaching, making habitat recovery an important part of protecting wildlife populations in the region.
The restored area could also support a broad range of other species. Scientists estimate that it may provide habitat for more than 300 bird species, 19 amphibian species and 88 mammal species, including the spider monkey and great curassow. This breadth of potential biodiversity illustrates the value of restoring connected native ecosystems rather than treating carbon removal as an isolated outcome.
By combining reforestation with long-term land restoration, the project aims to provide a sanctuary for wildlife while supporting the recovery of ecological functions in an area that has experienced significant erosion. The focus on native hardwood trees also gives the initiative a clear local foundation, rooted in the characteristics and resources of the landscape.
Community Benefits Alongside Restoration
The programme is designed to deliver economic benefits as well as environmental gains. It will provide 50 residents with permanent jobs, connecting local people directly to restoration activity and the management of the land.
It is also expected to produce 1,000 tonnes of haematoxylin each year. The natural dye has many different uses and is intended to provide a resource for local industries involved in manufacturing and trade, supporting the regional economy alongside the restoration of forest habitat.
This combination of employment, natural-resource production and ecosystem recovery places local communities within the project’s intended outcomes. It recognises that durable restoration can be strengthened when it supports livelihoods in the areas where work is taking place.
Josh Price, Strategic Accounts Lead at Ecologi, said:
“The Reforesting the Land of the Jaguar” project is a fantastic example of how restoration can not only help address climate change but also protect threatened wildlife and deliver lasting benefits for local communities.
Josh Price, Strategic Accounts Lead at Ecologi, said:
“Business Stream’s ongoing support demonstrates how businesses can take meaningful climate action whilst reducing their own emissions.”
Partnership With Climate Action Platform
Ecologi describes itself as a B Corp-certified climate action platform, working with more than 16,000 businesses to fund environmental projects. Its community of businesses has funded the planting of more than 95 million trees and avoided or removed more than 4.16 million tonnes of CO2.
The organisation’s work is aligned with the Science Based Targets initiative and Oxford Principles, while the projects it supports include standards such as Gold Standard, VCS and Puro. For Business Stream, the partnership provides a route to support verified climate action while retaining an emphasis on direct emissions reduction and its stated net zero target.
Business Stream was awarded a Gold rating by EcoVadis in January 2026, placing it within the top 98th percentile of organisations assessed. The assessment draws on international sustainability standards including the Global Reporting Initiative, the United Nations Global Compact and ISO 26000 certification.
A Wider Net Zero Commitment
Business Stream’s support for Reforesting the Land of the Jaguar offers a well-rounded example of corporate funding directed towards a project with measurable climate, biodiversity and community outcomes. With more than one million trees planned and one million tonnes of CO2 expected to be removed every 20-year cycle, the initiative gives the company’s 2025-26 emissions investment a defined connection to land recovery in south-east Mexico.
As the retailer works towards net zero by 2030, its continued relationship with Ecologi reflects an effort to pair operational emissions reductions with support for high-quality environmental projects. The result is a restoration programme that places endangered wildlife, local employment and forest regeneration alongside carbon removal.
