In May, Gristwood and Toms won the Arboriculture Company award for its dedication to staff and the environment at the Pro Landscaper Business Awards.

Managing director Andrew Brightman accepted the award. He spoke with Pro Arb about his company’s achievements, his business and leadership strategy and what makes it an industry champion. One topic discussed was Gristwood and Toms’ apprenticeship programme.

Investing in the next generation

Addressing sector-wide skill gaps, Gristwood and Toms has a tailored training initiative and a purpose-built classroom. In classes of four, students receive training in arboriculture as well as in first aid and proper safety proceedures. Brightman says:

“Training people up is one of the challenges we face in arboriculture – how many companies are out there investing in the next generation? We cannot just be employing people taken from somewhere else.”

He highlights that these apprentices receive the Real Living Wage and gain in-depth industry knowledge for the two-year programme.

Brightman emphasises that a standout moment was a 19-year-old apprentice who used first-aid training to assist an injured stranger, showcasing the programme’s real-world impact. He adds:

“One of our apprentices who had worked for us for six months took control of a situation where a person fell down an escalator. The security guard wanted to move this person, and our apprentice said, ‘No.’ Because he had learnt first aid with us.”

In the interview, Brightman further discusses Gristwood and Toms' approach to the green transition, his blueprint for business success and how leadership lays the groundwork for accountability and growth.

Read the full interview in the June/ July issue of Pro Arb Magazine.