Gütersloh, Hamburg, Harsewinkel, Kuala Lumpur, Luxembourg, Munich, 06/05/2019

From Plogging To Beekeeping: ‘be green Day’ At Bertelsmann

On World Environment Day today, or any other day: Bertelsmann companies make a contribution to climate and environmental protection around the world with their “be green Day”. We present a selection of activities at Bertelsmann.

June 5 is World Environment Day, and several Bertelsmann companies use the occasion to hold their “be green Day”. However, over the past few weeks some companies have already been campaigning for climate and environmental protection with various activities, and others are planning to do so in the upcoming months.

In Malaysia, Arvato Systems has declared a war on trash. At the Kuala Lumpur site, thoughtlessly thrown away trash is a big problem. At the end of March, employees – equipped with trash bags – went on a trash collecting excursion. They also organized a lecture on the “Five Commandments of Zero Waste”: avoid, reduce, reuse, recycle and compost. With this knowledge, they plan to ensure a greener and cleaner environment in Kuala Lumpur in the future.

Today, Gruner + Jahr in Hamburg hosts sustainability influencer Louisa Dellert. After a discussion round with G+J representatives in the lobby of the head offices, she will set out on a “plogging tour” with those who are interested during lunch break: “plogging” is a portmanteau combining the words “jogging” and “plokka” (Swedish for picking up). Participants will pick up trash they spot during a jog.

At Arvato Supply Chain Solutions in Harsewinkel wild flowers will be planted today to counteract bee deaths. In addition, colleagues have the opportunity to write down more ideas on a “brainstorm wall”; the person with the best idea will receive a prize. Moreover, plastic cups for coffee and tea will be replaced with recyclable alternatives to save the approx. 47,000 cups used at the site per year. Arvato Supply Chain Solutions will sponsor the first 500 cups for the employees. At RTL Group's Corporate Center in Luxembourg, the focus is also on reducing disposable plastic in the company restaurant and cafeteria. Plastic cutlery, straws, single-use paper bags and disposable cardboard trays are replaced by sustainable and recyclable alternatives.

At the Bertelsmann Corporate Center in Gütersloh, the seventh “be green Day” will take place today. Installations and information booths in the building offer ideas on how to reduce or avoid waste and how it can be reused for new products. The Mediastore presents books from the publishing program on waste avoidance and environmental protection, while the Cultina cafeteria, as always on Wednesday, offers “green lunch” with a focus on the lowest possible CO₂ footprint of the foods used for preparing the meals. Additionally, small defective electronic devices are collected and professionally recycled on this day. Bicycles can receive a free check-up and minor repairs at “Dr. Bike”.

In Brazil, “be green Day” is celebrated on June 7 at the sites of Arvato Supply Chain Solutions in Hortolândia and Sao Paulo. Here, too, the focus is on avoiding plastic cups and mugs. The employees also get advice about proper environmental behavior and waste reduction, and are invited by the organizers to come to work wearing green clothes to symbolically highlight “be green Day”.

Verlagsgruppe Random House in Munich organizes a series of lectures and workshops on July 9. Chemist Axel Fischer of INGEDE e.V. will speak about the difficulties with paper recycling and the necessary steps for the production of sustainable print products. Those who own non-functional electronic devices or damaged clothes will have the opportunity to have them evaluated by the professional and learn about the possibility of getting them repaired. Amateur bee keeper Markus Hahnel will share insights about keeping bees in inner cities and the possibilities for helping the bee population on balconies in Germany at the “Meeting in the BEEr garden”. Workshops on plastic-free living and upcycling will round out the range of activities.