Novartis Egypt, the Egyptian affiliate of Swiss-based Novartis, recently marked its 16th annual Community Partnership Day with the launch of a tree planting initiative.

Nearly 400 Novartis employees planted 150 trees using sustainable agriculture techniques in the communal gardens of Right to Live Association for the Intellectually Disabled (RTLA), Egypt’s first organization providing care and training to persons with intellectual disabilities, in Heliopolis.

The one-day event aims to promote a brighter future for the environment and society by introducing to many people the importance of urban farming as a sustainable tool for healthy urban living.

Themed ‘Seeds of Hope’, the event was implemented in collaboration with Nawaya, a non-profit organization promoting sustainable agriculture, and the RLTA.

"Corporate responsibility is part of our essence of who we are at Novartis. Today marks our 16th annual Community Partnership Day, an important way in which Novartis lives up to its strong commitment to corporate citizenship,” said George Zarkalis, Novartis CPO head and country president.

“Almost 400 Novartis Egypt team members from the company’s various divisions including Novartis Pharma, Sandoz, OTC and Alcon, today join their colleagues around the world in volunteering their time and effort to contribute to their community’s overall welfare.”

“Seeds of Hope follows Earth Day offering a great opportunity to reflect on the impact we each have on our planet," said Dr Salah El Sharkawy, Novartis vice president and spokesperson. “Planting trees in celebration of Earth Day represents our commitment to providing a safe, healthy and sustainable environment for all those who live and visit our wonderful city.”

The team also engaged the surrounding community in planting, and helped raise awareness on the benefits of going green and understanding the importance of maintaining the newly planted locations.

Furthermore, Novartis is donating all the equipment used to farmers in need in Abu Sir, contributing to a lasting and sustainable community impact. – TradeArabia News Service