At the initiative of Coca-Cola HBC Slovenija d.o.o., in partnership with Poslovni sistem Mercator d.o.o., the greening of sun-exposed urban areas near Mercator shopping centres in Slovenia is taking place. At the beginning of April, a total of 28 maple trees were planted on Cesta 4. maja in Cerknica as part of this initiative. The trees are a welcome step towards greening the city centre and will provide shade during the summer months.
The Mayor of Cerknica, Marko Rupar, expressed appreciation for the planting of trees in the municipality: “We welcome the initiative of Coca-Cola HBC Slovenia and Mercator d.o.o., who have planted trees in our municipality and have chosen a location where greenery will be particularly beneficial. I hope that the project will also encourage other local businesses to help municipalities create a greener environment, as this will be more and more important in times of increasing climate change.”
The two companies decided to plant the trees because of the many positive effects that they bring to an urban environment, especially at a time when we are facing an increasingly warm climate. Trees provide numerous benefits to city residents and visitors, such as purifying air, cooling the atmosphere, providing shade, and fostering a connection with nature in an urban environment.
"At Coca-Cola HBC, we are committed to sustainability in all segments of our business, as we want to contribute to preserving ecosystems for future generations. Our global commitment to sustainable development is demonstrated by the renomination of Coca-Cola HBC as the world's most sustainable beverage company by one of the leading global sustainability indicators, the 2023 Dow Jones Sustainability Indices. As part of our activities at the local level, we take the initiative and participate in projects that help preserve the environment. One such example is our tree-planting initiative in the urban environment. We want to thank Mercator for cooperating with planting trees near the Mercator Centre in Cerknica and elsewhere in Slovenia. We would also like to thank the Municipality of Cerknica for supporting our initiative. Together, we are demonstrating the power of partnership to create positive change and added value for people and the environment,” added Tit Borstner, representative of Coca-Cola HBC Slovenia.
“We welcome the response of the Municipality of Cerknica, which supported the initiative and helped to plant native deciduous trees, which will contribute to more pleasant climatic conditions on asphalted parking areas during warmer months. We wanted to support the local environment with the project, so we involved local partners in the entire implementation of the project," said Tanja Kališek, Director of the Retail Sector at Mercator, Region IV.
