BIC Launches Environmental Education Legacy Initiative
BIC, a world leader in stationery, lighters, and shavers recently announced its environmental education legacy initiative in commemoration of 75 years of the BIC Cristal pen.
The company plans to plant 75 trees in 22 schools around Kenya – one for every year that the BIC Cristal pen has been around. The commitment stems from BIC’s Writing the Future Together sustainable development program which aims to improve the company’s societal and environmental footprint.
Similar to the way the BIC Cristal pen democratized writing and drawing and gave consumers the opportunity to express themselves using writing instruments, planting trees across schools in Kenya is meant to create opportunities for the community.
The initiative will create a positive impact on the community – through job creation and community support, as well as on the environment. Every tree will absorb around 25kg of CO₂ per year, totaling 41.25 tons of CO₂. Mature trees will produce around 400 fruits per year, approximately 660,000 fruits annually. The initiative will ensure the collaboration of community members in managing the trees and reaping the fruits of their labor.
Commenting on the occasion, Paloma Lengema, General Manager at BIC East Africa, said: “As we celebrate 75 years the iconic BIC Cristal, we are in turn planting seeds for the next 75+ years through this environmental legacy program. The initiative perfectly embodies the commitments under our Writing the Future Together sustainable development program. By establishing these fruity orchards in schools across Kenya, we are contributing to environmental conservation and helping create sustainable opportunities for the communities in which we operate.”
Expressing his delight, Joseph Okoth, Director of Fruity Schools Africa, said: “This partnership with BIC represents a perfect alignment of environmental stewardship and educational enhancement. These fruity orchards will not only contribute to carbon sequestration and environmental education but will also generate sustainable income for schools through fruit production. We are proud to work with like-minded organizations such as BIC to further support our local communities,”
The program’s strategic approach groups schools into clusters of five per ward or sub-county to maximize impact concentration. Each cluster will create one new green job locally, totaling up to five potential employment opportunities across the program. The initiative is in partnership with Fruity Schools Africa, an accredited agency by the Ministry of Education for tree planting in learning institutions.
This initiative stems from BIC’s sustainable development program, Writing the Future Together which aims to enhance the company’s societal and environmental footprint. The program demonstrates BIC’s dedication to the communities in which it operates, creating a lasting impact that will benefit students and communities for decades to come.
