Hartalega recently organised a Selangor River clean-up initiative in conjunction with World Rivers Day 2016.
In collaboration with Kelab Alami Kawa, a social enterprise which focuses on local youth empowerment through environmental education, this initiative saw over 150 people, including 50 Hartanians as well as children, university students and the local community come together to work towards a cleaner Selangor River. To ensure an effective and efficient clean-up, the volunteers used 32 sampans and three motorboats to collect rubbish strewn in the river.
Over much chatter and laughter, participants of the environmental initiative clearly had an educational experience as they learnt to identify and separate the waste collected for recycling purposes. They also learnt to audit the types of rubbish collected, and by the end of the five hour clean-up, as much as 590 kilogrammes of trash was collected from the river.
According to Mohd Ridzuan Kunjan, Head of Community Affairs (Human Resource) Hartalega, “Over the years, the Selangor River has seen a degradation in water quality due to heavy pollution. The river is a major source of one of our most critical resources, water, and plays a vital role in supporting the local ecosystem. It was an enlightening experience to have worked together with the local community, authorities and fellow Hartanians for a greener environment. We are certain that through today’s event, many more people are now aware about World Rivers Day and the importance of preserving our environment, not just for ourselves, but also for future generations.”
The Selangor River clean-up initiative is in line with Hartalega’s commitment towards promoting environmental sustainability, and the event was held with the aim of raising awareness on the importance of keeping rivers clean as water is an essential source of life. In addition, the Selangor River serves as a habitat for fireflies and an unpolluted river is necessary to ensure that its rich biodiversity continues to thrive.
To date, Hartalega has enjoyed over two years of successful partnership with Kelab Alami Kawa, and this collaboration is coordinated by University of Malaya’s Community & Sustainability Centre, better known as UMCares. Hartalega has a long history of corporate social responsibility initiatives aimed at enriching the lives of Malaysians in the communities it operates in through various avenues including philanthropy, infrastructure support, community building efforts, human capital development and environmental sustainability measures. Through its ongoing community initiatives, Hartalega remains committed to continue making positive contributions for the betterment of society.
In line with our commitment to environmental sustainability, Hartalega organised a riparian tree replanting initiative along the Selangor River.
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