In 2021, we introduced Planet Passionate Communities, the philanthropic arm of our ten-year Planet Passionate Sustainability program. The aim of Planet Passionate Communities is to provide support to our local communities by implementing environmental and well-being projects to help enrich life in the community.
Since the introduction of this initiative, local teams at Kingspan plants and offices across the globe have been devoting their time and resources to supporting community projects such as fundraising, enhancing biodiversity, clean-up activities and much more.
In North America, 2023 has been a year filled with Planet Passionate Communities projects. From saving bees to volunteering with Habitat for Humanity to participating in local clean-up days, our teams have been actively making a positive difference in their communities.
Bee project
To help increase the local bee population in Langley, British Columbia, our Langley plant kicked off an urban bee project in April.
Working in partnership with Alvéole, a company that helps organizations launch sustainable bee programs for greener cities, the Langley facility is currently maintaining two beehives. By working with an urban beekeeper to provide a safe haven for bees, Langley employees are helping to support dwindling bee populations, improve biodiversity and foster connections to nature in their community.
Habitat for Humanity
Our Columbus, Ohio, team volunteered with Habitat for Humanity to help build a safe, affordable home in the community. Volunteers performed a variety of tasks such as framing walls, installing siding, hanging drywall, caulking, priming, painting, and landscaping.
Local clean-ups
As part of our Planet Passionate Day celebrations, which took place from September 15 through October, many employees at our North America plants participated in local clean ups. Team members at our Columbus, Ohio, plant participated in a local street cleanup, picking up 345 pounds of trash and 280 pounds of recyclables (for a total of 625 pounds) in just under one hour. At our Caledon, Ontario, plant, employees participated in a site clean-up, collecting and removing 30 pounds of trash.
To commemorate these celebrations, an exclusive seed paper bookmark that can be planted after use was distributed to employees.
Animal shelters
Looking forward to 2024, our Caledon, Ontario, plant will be using Kingspan insulated metal panels to build shelters to house feral cats. Feral cats seek out abandoned buildings, deserted cars, and even dig holes in the ground to keep warm in the winter months and cool during the summer heat. These new shelters will help keep them warm and cool.
To learn more about these and other Kingspan Planet Passionate Communities projects, head over to the second edition of our We Are Planet Passionate Magazine here.