Spa equipment manufacturer Oakworks has planted its millionth tree, as part of a sustainability partnership with non-profit organisation Trees for the Future.

The company – which manufactures spa, massage and treatment tables – has been donating to Trees for the Future since 2008 and hit the one million tree landmark in December 2017.

Trees for the Future was founded in 1989 to combat hunger and tackle poverty globally. So far, the organisation has assisted thousands of communities in planting more than 140 million trees.

Dafne Berlanga, Oakworks’ vice president of international business development, said that the collaboration with Trees for the Future is one of the company’s many sustainability projects.

“Jeff and Linda Riach, the founders of Oakworks, have always been committed to sustainability,” she said.

“Since 1978, long before it was a world-wide trend, Oakworks took a step-by-step approach to ensure a high level of protection for human and health environment.

“In fact, the company’s very first portable table was hand-crafted – by Jeff Riach – using regionally-sourced materials.”

She added that, by definition, the wellness industry – and all companies within it – should strive to be pioneers in sustainable practices.

“True wellness practitioners understand that the best experience comes from a holistic approach,” she said.

“Unfortunately, there isn’t enough emphasis yet to the urgency of regenerative practices and their impact on health and wellness. The challenges are both philosophical and practical, where perceived costs and the reluctance to take more “robust” risks prevent companies from adopting sustainable practices.

“The good news is that we will be hearing more and more about these programmes in the near future. The Global Wellness Summit, through its Sustainability Initiative, is already planting the seeds.”