Making a Difference in the IT Channel — One Tree at a Time
Tech Data’s Future Dream Forest has given the chance for co-workers to adopt more than 7,000 new trees across Africa. Read on to find out more about this breakthrough sustainability initiative.
Sustainability is becoming an increasingly important topic for companies in the IT channel. Some tech giants are thinking big with long-term commitments to going carbon neutral. Others are also looking into ways to improve their current practices including updated office facilities, supply chain optimization, and product recycle programs.
Tech Data — and TD SYNNEX globally — is committed to ramping up our environmental, social and governance (ESG) efforts, supported by the creativity and enthusiasm of our global workforce to bring innovative ideas to the table. One suggestion from our ESG committee is a great example of how a small idea had a big impact.
A gift that gives back to the environment
The idea was first proposed ahead of our annual European Vendor Partner Summit (EVPS). Every year, EVPS attendees receive a small memento from Tech Data. With the arrival of the pandemic, the event went fully virtual and the gifts were sent by mail to delegates across the region. While planning this year’s event, one of the members of the planning committee proposed that instead of sending a physical gift, we plant a tree for each of the attendees. And so the search began for a partner company to help us execute this bright idea.
Treedom and Tech Data: greening the planet together
Treedom is an organisation that allows individuals and businesses to plant native trees in a number of countries around the world. Tree owners can to name their tree and receive images of it once it’s planted along with its GPS coordinates and updates on its growth. The top three countries where they plant their trees are in Kenya, Cameroon, and Tanzania. Other countries include Madagascar, Nepal, Ecuador. The program not only benefits the environment by absorbing CO2 through the trees that have been planted, but also provides jobs for local farmers.
Once we found the perfect partner to support us in this green venture, we purchased and virtually sent 330 trees to each of the EVPS attendees. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Several weeks later a group of the European leadership team was meeting to plan our annual end-of-the-year holiday greeting and, given the great response to the EVPS gift, a decision was made to create a Tech Data Dream Forest and gift all 7000 of Tech Data’s employees in Europe a tree.
Since making the announcement, Tech Data co-workers have redeemed 3043 trees, the most popular being Acacia Mangium (Madagascar), White Mangrove (Tanzania) and Avocado (Tanzania) followed by Lemon and Coffee trees. Some have already received updates that their trees have been seeded or planted and eventually, all 7000 trees will be planted to create the Tech Data Dream Forest.
Sustainability efforts come in all shapes and sizes. This story is a great example of how one small idea can create a ripple effect to drive a bigger change. As the saying goes, from small acorns, mighty oaks grow.
