Iceland has marked its 50th anniversary by funding the planting of one million trees in Indonesia.
Iceland Foods Charitable Foundation, the frozen food chain’s charity arm, has donated $165,000 to the Eden Reforestation Projects. It will pay for the reforestation of approximately 100 hectares of mangrove forest on the southwest coast of Yapan Island in West Papua.
It is part of the Eden Reforestation Project in Indonesia, launched in 2018 and credited with planting millions of trees in deforested coastal mangrove systems.
Iceland’s funding had also helped pay for the employment of 25 full-time workers who previously had little or no income, the supermarket said.
“Iceland is passionate about playing its part in helping to stop global deforestation, and seeing the impact of deforestation in Indonesia first-hand prompted us to make our palm oil removal commitment back in 2018,” said Iceland MD Richard Walker.
“We also have a long history of supporting vulnerable communities in the UK and across the world and that is why, as part of our 50th birthday celebrations, we decided to support this reforestation project in Indonesia.
“The project will have a positive social and economic impact on the local community for years to come. These mangrove forests are so vital and help support an environment that has a high concentration of rare and endangered species.”
It’s one of a number of ways Iceland has been marking its half-centenary. It has also made an hour-long YouTube documentary tracing its history, presented by key figures behind the business including founder Malcolm Walker.
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