Schneider Electric’s green boost initiative

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By sponsoring 500 orchards Schneider Electric is enhancing biodiversity and urban green spaces nationwide

Horticulture

20 December 2023

Schneider Electric has announced its participation in the DCs for Bees initiative, in association with Host In Ireland.

Schneider Electric’s ‘Orchards in the Community’ initiative aims to improve the declining bee population and protect other endangered species. The plan includes 48 partners from the data centre industry.

To help protect bees, increase pollination, and support biodiversity, Schneider Electric is part of 73 companies that pledged to contribute to the planting of more than 3587 mixed fruit orchards across Ireland. The initiative extends to 222 schools, colleges and 171 community groups. Tidy towns, retirement homes, community centres, and local sports facilities have received and planted orchards in their respective communities.

Crucial for Ireland’s urban green spaces, orchards are essential for supporting biodiversity with 33% of the country’s 99 wild bee species facing extinction. The new orchards play a vital role in providing essential food for bees and other biodiverse creatures emerging from winter.

Schneider Electric has sponsored 500 orchards (2,500 trees) in the span of three planting years. In 2023, they sponsored an additional 100 orchards, featuring 3 apple trees, a plum tree, and a pear tree. Employees took 34 orchards, while 66 went to participating communities. The benefiting communities include Kilmaine tidy towns, Monivea tidy towns, Abbeyleix towns, Dromahair tidy towns, Gorey community schools, Oaktree Court Residence Association, Holy Rosary College, and Sustainable Community Area Network Milltown.

Garry Connolly, founder, Host in Ireland, said: “Orchards are a focal point for communities to connect people with nature. Growing orchards in the community helps raise awareness of our connection to our food sources and play an important role in biodiversity and the plight of bees in Ireland.

“That spirit of community is alive and well with ‘Orchards in the Community’ as organisations like Schneider Electric come together with biodiversity groups, schools, colleges, Tidy Towns and others across Ireland to tackle challenges like biodiversity loss to save Ireland’s pollinators.”

Mark Yeeles, vice president, Secure Power Division, Schneider Electric UK and Ireland, said: “Driving sustainable change which can be seen within the community is at the heart of our organisation, and we hope the orchards will create holistic ecosystems which will be beneficial for many years and generations to come.”