UPS employees plant trees, organize coastal clean- up

CEBU, Philippines - For its 10th annual Global Volunteer Month, UPS Philippines employees in Cebu organized a mangrove planting and coastal clean-up activity in the town of Cordova, an area known for its mangrove plantations and marine sanctuaries. Eighty-five UPS employees and their families braved the high tide and participated in the recently concluded event. 

Mangrove plantations across the Philippines are home to crabs, shrimps, and various species of fishes, and serve as protection from storms. In addition, certain species of mangroves can be used for fuel and for building materials. 

For UPS Philippines, the activity served as an opportunity for employees to do their share in protecting the area’s natural resources, and to ensure that future generations will be able to enjoy the benefits of the mangrove plantations.

“The UPS Foundation and UPS Philippines are both dedicated to promoting environmental sustainability,” said Tim Gohoc, managing director of UPS Philippines. “Through our efforts, we hope that we can encourage more people to take an active role in protecting the environment and in preserving the Philippines’ richly diverse ecosystems.”

The Global Volunteer Month initiative in Cebu is part of UPS’s continuing commitment to environmental sustainability. The UPS Foundation had previously awarded a US$10,000 grant to the World Wildlife Fund for My1Thing, a program to educate Filipinos on the impacts of climate change. 

In addition, The UPS Foundation awarded a US$40,000 grant for “Simple Steps for Smarter Living,” an environmental life skills education program to be implemented in 20 public high schools in urban areas throughout the Philippines. This year’s UPS Global Volunteer Month activities in Manila also focused on environment-related efforts, and sought to improve awareness among the youth. 

In Asia, about 5,700 employees, with their families and friends, volunteered over 26,000 hours of service. Through The UPS Foundation, more US$1.7 million in grants and charitable giving were also distributed to about 50 non-profit organizations within the Asia Pacific region in 2012. Many of these grant beneficiaries have been organizations with whom UPS employees volunteer.

“UPS has always embraced the philosophy of giving back to the community through volunteerism, and has been making incremental investments in resources to ensure that we are contributing to Asia’s development and growth at the pace it demands,” said Pete Elroy, vice-president of Human Resources, UPS Asia Pacific Region, “From the 2,400 employees that volunteered 10 years ago in the inaugural volunteer month, we are very pleased to share that nearly 5,700 Asia-Pacific employees, along with their families and friends have contributed their hours in making their communities more environmentally sustainable this year. We look forward to delivering more in the years to come.” (FREEMAN)