A simple guide to help your company talk about offsetting confidently, transparently, and in line with today’s best-practice climate communication.
Offsetting remains one of the most accessible and meaningful ways for companies to take climate action, support nature-based solutions, and contribute to global restoration efforts.
However, recent updates to EU guidance on environmental claims have changed how companies should talk about their climate actions publicly.
In today’s landscape, clear and transparent communication matters more than ever — not because offsetting is discouraged, but because sustainability communication is evolving.
This guide explains how your company can confidently communicate your offsetting in a modern, positive, and compliant way
🌱 1. Why communication rules have changed (and why this is good news)
Recent EU updates around environmental claims — including how terms like “carbon neutral”, “net zero”, or “zero impact” are used — were introduced to reduce confusion and prevent overly broad or misleading statements.
Importantly: these changes do NOT restrict your ability to offset.
Companies can continue to fund carbon-removal projects, support reforestation, and offset emissions exactly as before.
What’s changed is simply the preferred way to describe these actions.
The focus today is on being clear, specific, and transparent — which ultimately strengthens the credibility of your climate communication.
🌿 2. Offsetting remains a positive, impactful climate action
Your company can proudly talk about offsetting.
Offsetting allows you to:
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Support verified nature-based projects
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Take responsibility for unavoidable emissions
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Protect biodiversity and restore ecosystems
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Contribute to community development
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Enhance your climate and ESG strategy
These are meaningful, forward-thinking actions that customers, employees, and stakeholders value deeply.
What changes is not the action, but the language.
💬 3. Focus on the action you are taking
The most effective way to communicate about offsetting is to highlight the concrete actions your company takes.
✔️ Clear, positive, modern wording:
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“We offset emissions by supporting certified reforestation projects.”
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“We offset X tonnes of CO₂ through Tree-Nation.”
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“We fund nature-based carbon-removal projects as part of our climate action.”
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“We contribute to climate and biodiversity solutions by offsetting emissions.”
These statements strengthen trust — they are specific, transparent, and easy to understand.
📊 4. Share your numbers, results, and impact
You can absolutely communicate impacts in a quantitative way.
Sharing tangible data increases credibility:
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tonnes of CO₂ you offset
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trees planted
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project types
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countries supported
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biodiversity and community benefits
For example:
“In 2024, we offset 500 tonnes of CO₂ by supporting certified reforestation projects through Tree-Nation.”
This framing is factual, positive, and aligned with modern sustainability communication standards.
🌍 5. Keep your message focused on contribution, not total neutrality
One simple principle helps keep your communication both credible and compliant:
Describe the offsetting action you take — avoid claiming that this action makes your entire footprint ‘neutral’ or ‘zero impact’.
This avoids confusion and ensures your message reflects the real, valuable contribution you’re making.
This is the main shift introduced by recent EU guidelines — and it actually provides an opportunity to communicate more honestly and effectively.
⭐ 6. A helpful message to use within your company
Here is a ready-to-use example if someone on your team asks,
“Can we still say we offset our carbon footprint?”
You can confidently respond:
**“Yes — we can absolutely communicate that we offset emissions.
Offsetting through Tree-Nation allows us to support certified reforestation and carbon-removal projects, which is a meaningful part of our climate action strategy.We simply present it as the positive action it is — without calling ourselves ‘carbon neutral’. This keeps our message clear, credible, and fully aligned with today’s best-practice guidelines.”**
This ensures your whole team feels empowered, not restricted.
🌟 Summary: Offsetting is still a powerful climate action — and you can talk about it confidently
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✔️ Offsetting remains a meaningful and impactful part of your climate strategy
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✔️ You can speak about it openly, proudly, and quantitatively
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✔️ You simply avoid using outdated “neutrality” phrasing
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✔️ Your climate contribution remains powerful, credible, and appreciated
Tree-Nation is here to help you take action — and communicate it in a way that reflects both your impact and today’s communication standards.
If you ever need support or feedback on your climate messaging, our team is here to help.