Drive Forward > Give Back with FedEx Picture Proof of Planting
At FedEx, we know how important it is for customers to receive visual confirmation of their delivery with Picture Proof of Delivery. In the same way, we believe it’s important to demonstrate our commitment to conservation. That’s why Picture Proof of Planting is ideal, engaging FedEx team members to support conservation projects in their hometown, from tree plantings to beach clean-ups, in over 40 communities. The goal is to unite team members as we drive forward to become One FedEx and give back in support of conservation.
This past fall, over 300 FedEx team members participated in tree plantings around the world, including Delhi, Tijuana, Vancouver, London, and Austin. Tree plantings have long-lasting environmental impacts: they mitigate urban heat, support the physical and emotional health of residents, provide valuable greenspaces, and rebalance the ecosystem for wildlife.
In collaboration with One Tree Planted, Arbor Day Foundation, and National Fish & Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), FedEx will invest over $2 million toward sustainable communities. From March until May of 2024, FedEx will support 40 urban conservation projects around the world.
FedEx is collaborating with three organizations to plant trees and support conservation with the help of FedEx team members from around the world.
Below are just a few of the many communities where FedEx was involved in the fall of 2023:
Montreal
Kicking-off the Picture Proof of Planting global campaign was the FedEx Montreal team at Paul-Jarry primary school and in the surrounding neighborhood. Led by GRAME, this project in the Lachine borough began by removing asphalt to transform the space between the school yard and the street by adding nature. Funding from FedEx through One Tree Planted made it possible to plant trees at the school and in the local community with maintenance for the next three years.
"These projects aim to transform spaces into … much more welcoming and diverse, but above all, these are projects optimize water management,” explains Guillaume Lussier, project manager for GRAME.
Seattle
At the Woodland Park Zoo, FedEx team members clean equipment for the Amphibian Monitoring Project, supporting their valuable efforts to preserve frogs, toads, newts, and salamanders! Each year, the zoo loans supplies (including waders, clip boards, and GPS units) to community volunteers to collect scientific data on amphibians in local conservation wetland areas the Pacific Northwest. The project was made possible through the NFWF Five Star program FedEx has supported for 15 years!
“The Woodland Park Zoo Staff was impressed with how hard the FedEx Volunteers worked and how much progress we made today,” shared Tom Stingily, a Field Sales Executive and volunteer coordinator for the Seattle event.
Medellin
Team members planted trees along the Rionegro River in the El Porvenie neighborhood just south of the Medellin International Airport. Collaborating with the Fundación Red de Árboles, along with One Tree Planted, FedEx helped plant native species, including Suribio, Quiebrabarrigo, and Guamo.
“We had an excellent tree planting day,” shared Mauricio Ortiz, Manager of Operations for FedEx in Medellin. “Despite the heavy rain and cold temperatures, the team of volunteers maintained great attitude and we planted 140 trees along the banks of the Rionegro River.”
The Rionegro river is an important water source for the entire region of Antioquia. The protection of water resources is at the heart of this project; however, the addition of over 2,000 trees when complete will also assist in urban heat island mitigation and the enhancement of community health and wellness.
Istanbul
FedEx team members from Istanbul organized their first FedEx Cares tree planting activity in the Sile district, on the shore of the Black Sea. Volunteers helped plant 41 maritime and cypress trees with the Arbor Day Foundation and Aegean Forest Foundation. Funding from FedEx will support another 7,000 sapling trees to be planted soon.
“Today we helped to make the Sile area a lot greener,” said Eser Sezek, VP of Ground Operations in Turkey & South East Europe. “It was a pleasure to be part of this amazing team, full of energy and passion, to plant these trees and … help build a more sustainable future for this area. Initiatives like this are essential to our culture at FedEx to give back to the communities we serve, and this reflects who we are and guides us to deliver great results!”
The 7,000 saplings will not only support the sustainability of the Sile-Sahilkoy area of Istanbul but will be providing socioeconomic development by employing local villagers – mostly women – to plant and maintain the trees for the next three years to ensure their survival.