1000 saplings of the European spruce (Picea abies) species were planted by the employees of UBB and DZI. The initiative involved over 200 volunteers from KBC Group in Bulgaria. The strong blue team was supported by children, members of the employees’ families, friends, and pets. The green holiday started with a lot of cheer and smiles up the hills over Zheleznitsa village near Sofia city. The event host, the popular actor Nikolay Dogramadzhiev, presented the initiative before the gathered crowd, the conditions, linked to the work uphill and the entertainment, planned for the youngest volunteers.

„Sustainable development and preservation of the environment is the focus of our activity. I am happy that the UBB and DZI employees embrace the commitment of our companies as their own. Congratulations to all more than 200 employees and their family members, who participated on Saturday in the planting of yet another Blue Forest. Thank you for joining us!", greeted the participants Peter Roebben, Chairman of the Country Team of KBC Group in Bulgaria and Chief Executive Officer of UBB.

This is yet another forest, planted by KBC Bulgaria employees. Last year UBB planted 8721 acacia saplings on an area of 17 decares in Golema Rakovitsa village, thus reinforcing a slope above the road, leading to the village.

This year’s project is also much more special, as at the beginning of the year UBB carried out a campaign in support of biodiversity and environment protection among the Bank’s customers. They were provoked to ask the smart digital assistant Kate about the initiative and to answer three questions, linked to biodiversity. The Bank had committed to plant a tree for each of the first 1000 customers who asked a nature-related question.

The enthusiasm among all Team Blue volunteers was so high that all 1000 saplings prepared by Sofia State Forestry Territorial Department were planted on the designated terrain. The weather favoured the cause and after the sunny planting day it rained to water and soak through the soil of the newly planted forest.

The important thing about forest planting campaigns, initiated by UBB and DZI, is that they do not just end with the re-forestation activities. The Bank will continue taking care of the new forest over subsequent years as well, involving terrain cleaning, replacement of dried saplings with new ones, irrigation, if needed to ensure that the forest will take roots and grow and will become integral part of the lungs of Sofia and of Bulgaria.