Afforestation project gets momentum with corporate support

Over the last 35 years, the Government of Bangladesh, with the support of development partners and private corporate sector, has invested over $10 billion to make the country less vulnerable to natural disasters.
"A major portion of this fund is being invested for afforestation projects. But alone, without any involvement from the private sector, it is not possible for the government to ensure minimisation of the impact of climatic wraths," a source of British-American Tobacco Bangladesh, the largest private contributor in the afforestation said.
BAT-Bangladesh set out its afforestation programme in 1980 when the Forest Department called on the private sector to support its endeavour to conserve the forests. So far, the company has distributed more than 79.5 million saplings free to support the country's enduring afforestation initiative in the last 34 years.
"As a responsible company, BAT Bangladesh believes that the business has a key role to play in helping society to achieve the necessary sustainable balance of economic growth, environmental protection and social progress. And therefore, our CSR activities are designed to contribute to the economic, social and environmental sustainability of the community in which they operate," the BAT source commented.
BATB's flagship afforestation programme won National Awards from the Government of Bangladesh in 1992, 1999, 2002, 2005 and 2007.
The company also won the prestigious Asia Responsible Entrepreneurship Award-2014 on Green Leadership.
Enterprise Asia's Asia Responsible Entrepreneurship Awards programme (AREA) recognises and honours Asian businesses for championing sustainable and responsible business practices.
"The award is a testament of BAT Bangladesh's continuous focus on sustainability and integrating environmental responsibility into their operations in a manner that benefits the people of the country".