A new green area of the size of Margaret Island: Bridge between NGOs and large companies

The Community Tree Planting Programme of the Hungarian Environmental Partnership Foundation and MOL Group, represents an unparalleled co-operation between an NGO and a large company in Hungary. The two organisations greeted the awarded the winners on the occasion of the Earth Day.

The purpose of the environment protection programme launched as a result of the co-operation between the Environmental Partnership and MOL is aimed at increasing the size of green areas by planting native trees and strengthening environmental awareness and collaboration within local communities. Under the umbrella of this programme, 13 successful applicants (of the total number of 65) can start develop green areas close to the size of Margaret Island, with the participation of hundreds of voluntary workers during the autumn of 2006, in Hungary. This regional programme of a total value of HUF 6.5 million, was also highly successful in neighbouring countries -Romania and Slovakia-, where local initiatives were also supported by MOL. Nearly 30,000 saplings and shrubs, as well as more than 6,500 flowers and 250 meters of shrubbery have been planted altogether, as part of local community events.

Veronika Móra, Deputy Director of Environmental Partnership in Hungary said that the Greenway Programme operated by the Foundation for years, aims at the development and improvement of natural corridors, pathways and routes that preserve the local ecological heritage and are ideal for sports, tourism, recreation and everyday transport. These routes enable local economic growth, the sustainable use of natural resources and also strengthen local communities. „Our present initiative launched together with MOL Group, is part of the Greenway Programme and designed to support the development and rehabilitation of green areas of settlements located alongside natural corridors, to create real public spaces most suitable for rural livelihood.” The Deputy Director of the Foundation also emphasised that co-operation between NGOs and large companies is still in its infancy, but this successful and pacesetting initiative clearly proves how effective this type of joint work could be.

Orsolya Pallaghy, MOL Group advisor said: “MOL is committed to contributing to sustainable development and for this reason, we aspire to develop an increasing number of initiatives every year, and continuously improve our performance in this area. Sustainable development is an integral part of our long-term business success; and environment protection and social responsibility are indispensable parts thereof. This environment protection programme implemented by the Foundation and MOL Group is a salient example of this commitment, that clearly goes beyond the boundaries of a usual donation. Our great success is due to the fact of continuous professional co-operation and discussions in planning and decision-making processes, in the course of which we could effectively share our professional know-how and experience with each another.”