Buying a tree poses a risk, and we can not guarantee a return. We can guarantee that we are doing everything in our power to keep all our promises and agreements in the same way that we’ve kept them since the start of 2006. Together with Better Globe Forestry Ltd. (BGF), we are actively monitoring, minimizing, and eliminating potential risks. So far, all customers have been paid as promised, and on time. We intend to keep it that way
When you, as a customer, buy our products, you are taking a risk. You risk losing a portion of, or the entirety of, the money you paid for your trees. However, the risks involved have been reduced significantly since we started selling our products in 2006. To a certain degree, we now have a proof of concept, and BGF has shown that it is possible to grow and cultivate trees effectively in arid and semi-arid areas.
It is also crucial for you to consider that what you are buying is not a liquid asset. It is a biological asset that grows over time and needs 15 years to mature. This fact is vital to keep in mind so that you only spend the money you can do without for quite a few years. The good news regarding this timeframe is that most people are not saving money for their future, so congratulations to you who are a customer with us or intend to become one. You are creating an ethical and long-term financial return that is as good for the environment as it is for your economy.
Here are the main risk areas we believe are associated with the products we sell:
Risks associated with forestry
These risks include everything that has to do with our plantations and our production. It can be drought, damage due to insects, disease, or fires in the tree plantations. These risks cause us the least worry since they can be minimized and eliminated to a large extent. These concerns are something all forest companies have to deal with and are part of the regular business management. You can read more about how BGF works to mitigate these risks to a minimum in our FAQ.
Managing risks associated with doing business in Africa
Doing business in Africa is, of course, associated with higher risks than if we, for example, had conducted operations in Scandinavia. However, the trees BGF plants for us do not grow in Scandinavia. BGF is currently managing its operations in Kenya and Uganda, some of Africa’s most stable democracies.
BGF has extensive experience doing business in these countries. They would not do it unless they considered the risks manageable. The way foreign media portrays some situations on the continent do not always match the experience BGF has on location.
Business risks from climate change and global warming
Climate change is a risk that most companies will have to contend with in the future. In East Africa, BGF already sees some of its harmful effects, including seasonal shifts in precipitation, which leads to droughts and floods. And according to UNDP, local temperatures are expected to rise well above the world average leading up to 2100.
Although climate change risks can be challenging to foresee, we are in a unique position to make a difference for the local communities. The trees we plant through BGF help mitigate the risks of climate change. A profound ecological transformation occurs at the tree plantations that restore degraded lands, cool the surrounding environment, and support biodiversity. We also help BGF partner farmers increase their climate resilience by implementing agroforestry on their farmland, which brings about similar benefits.
We are well aware of the risks posed by climate change to our trees, but we are also actively mitigating global warming. By helping to fund BGF’s tree plantations, you help plant drought-resistant trees that are better equipped to deal with this new reality than most other tree species. As more trees are planted, we also increase the cooling effect that helps protect our trees and the surrounding areas. In the process, we offset large amounts of carbon and help create a greener future for the world community.
Risks associated with our business
As a potential customer, you naturally need to make your assessment of how you evaluate the risk of working with us as a company and supplier. We believe that trust and integrity are cornerstones of business. Therefore, we are thoroughly committed to keeping all our promises. To date, we have paid out returns as stipulated on everything our customers are entitled to from their trees. We have delivered on our promises, even though there have been challenges we needed to overcome.
Our trials and successes with our tree planting agent in Kenya and Uganda, BGF, have brought us to a place where we now feel more stable and secure than ever before. We have delivered incredible results and demonstrated that our business model works. And it brings benefits to the community and the environment while being commercially viable.
Important to know
There are still are, and will always be, risks that could potentially affect the estimated returns on the trees you acquire with us. In short, we can give the general recommendations that most companies provide when promising some type of financial reward:
- You are not guaranteed any money.
- In the worst-case scenario, you can lose all the money you used to buy trees and Donation Packages.
- It would be best if you did not buy trees with money you cannot afford to lose. And when it comes to earning a financial return, you should not “put all your eggs in one basket.”
- The best thing you can do is buy our products regularly and over an extended period. This way, you will get to know us, the trees, and our business while spreading your cost and building wealth over time.
- The money used for buying trees can be recovered during the first 14 days of purchase. After that, buybacks and returns follow the agreement between you and Better Globe AS.
- Some of our customers compare us to an alternative, unregulated, and unlisted “investment” with high risk and limited transparency.
- By comparison, our products’ risk is perceived to be higher than those of stocks on the regulated market, for example.
We also recommend that you read our FAQ. Many of the most frequently asked questions regarding the different aspects of risk management are answered.
Save some of your money in trees and help reduce poverty
We invite you to make a difference in East Africa and contribute to a better world. Your trees will be managed in an ethical, sustainable, and long-term way. Click on the link to our shop and make a socially responsible purchase today. With us, it is profitable to help others.