Konica Minolta South Africa, a division of Bidvest Office (Pty) Ltd, is a local business that it well-known for its dedication to implementing comprehensive, sustainable environmental initiatives that not only reduce its own environmental impact, but that also enhance the livelihood of the surrounding communities. As part of this environmental commitment and investment, the company has planted 5,271 trees in the past year alone, in addition to 4,600 bamboo plants, in partnership with Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA), South Africa’s first environmental social enterprise.
Since the inception of this relationship in 2008, the two companies have worked together tirelessly to plant more than 23,500 trees, helping to improve, regenerate and rehabilitate degraded environments across the country.
“The FTFA’s Trees for All programme is a successful and effective programme that greens, educates and transforms communities across the country,” explained Ritchi Smith, marketing coordinator at Konica Minolta South Africa.
“By aligning ourselves with an organisation like FTFA that focuses on supporting healthy people on a healthier planet, Konica Minolta South Africa has played an important role in the transformation of schools, crèches, clinics and community centres, into healthier, more sustainable environments.
“There is no doubt as to the benefits of trees in urban landscapes. They help to reduce air and water pollution, stem storm water runoff, beautify neighbourhoods and represent a crucial part of the ecosystem. In recent times, planting trees has been highlighted as a low-tech, cost-effective strategy for mitigating many problems,” she continued. “However, it is more than just planting trees: landscape restoration increases the resilience of communities to climate change. Not only this, but thanks to the dedication, commitment and positive approach of Konica Minolta South Africa’s national branches, the relationship between them and the donor recipients has grown and flourished, along with the trees.”
Earlier this year, Konica Minolta South Africa also announced that it had achieved carbon-neutral status for the second year in a row. The company was able to earn the distinction through the calculation of its carbon footprint, implementation of company-wide energy efficiency initiatives and the subsequent offsetting of the remaining emissions through these plantings.
