Upfield, the manufacturer of Blue Band range of products recently undertook a reforestation exercise at Karura Forest as part of its 3rd year celebrations in East and Southern Africa. This initiative is in line with the Kenyan government’s National Tree Planting Campaign, which aims to plant 2 billion trees and maintain a 10% tree cover in the country by 2022.
Upfield’s recently released Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) report, outlines a suite of initiatives and targets designed to achieve the company’s vision for ‘A Better Plant-Based Future’. The broad goal being to build a more sustainable future with food systems that are beneficial to people, while protecting nature. The tree planting exercise was part of this broader vision to support the communities where Upfield operates in East & Southern Africa including Kenya, Uganda, and Mozambique.
Speaking about the initiative, Upfield’s Managing Director East and Southern Africa, Peter Muchiri said, “As an organization, we are committed to a sustainable future and to fighting climate change, which is why we are undertaking initiatives to impact food systems positively. We can secure our future by starting early. This tree-planting exercise organized by our Associates signifies that it is a company-wide responsibility we take seriously.”
During the exercise, Florence Mwaisaka, People and Organization Regional Director for Africa, Middle East & Asia-Pacific at Upfield noted, “I am especially pleased to see our Associates living the Upfield values of Passion, Performance and Care with an initiative like this that makes a difference in our communities. Volunteering has always been a great way to get people working together for a greater cause and this outing has been no exception.”
Through the tree planting exercise, Upfield is making good on its commitment towards environmental sustainability while complementing government reforestation efforts through the National Tree Planting Campaign. Trees help limit the impact of greenhouse gases by taking excess carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. With adequate forest cover, the adverse effects of sporadic weather patterns will be reduced significantly across the country.