Many of us often think that it is sufficient to be merely opting for a biodegradable straw when we sip away our favourite beverage, or carrying along a recyclable bag, only when you remember to do so. More than just buzzwords, going green or sustainable living is something we practise in our everyday life. It’s about conserving resources (e.g. water, energy), reducing food wastage, consumption, and pollution, to name a few.
And speaking about these buzzwords, many among us may not entirely know “where to start” — or how to. Therefore, we believe in educating our people, here at DTC World, as we aim to create and improve the awareness among our fellow employees — encouraging an environmentally-conscious workplace for all. Also, as part of the organisation’s continuous CSR efforts, this year, DTC World Malaysia decided to go green: by getting down and dirty at Free Tree Society.
#bondwithnature: An aerial view of the FTS’ flagship Bangsar Nursery, nestled within the green of cosmopolitan Bangsar. Image credit: Urban Biodiversity Initiative/Rimba Ilmu
A perfect opportunity to gather our team members on a sunny Saturday morning, before the real groundwork kicked in, it is befitting to say that we have learnt a lot about sustainability through the tree planting sessions at FTS. A non-profit environmental organisation that champions conservation efforts to preserve our mother earth, FTS spreads environmental stewardship messages through free tree giveaways. (Yes! The plants here are free for everyone. You can even register your plants.) Its flagship nursery at Bangsar is an ideal place for conducting garden activities, workshops, or even team meetings. (What better place than a serene surrounding filled with luscious greenery to get those creative juices flowing, right?)
Upon arriving at the luscious green nursery, Lydia Lubon, Programme Manager at Bangsar Nursery, welcomed us with a bright smile, knowing we were all thrilled to do some green volunteering tasks for the day!
Learn and play: This has been one of the insightful Saturday mornings in August this year for our DTC Malaysia team, as we absorbed a thing or two (at least) about keeping our planet greener.
Before we start getting down and dirty, let's pose for the camera first! Image credit: FTS
Let's start planting!
The session started off with briefings by Lydia, where she shared the alternative measures we could opt for in our daily routines to practise a more sustainable lifestyle. From simple things like brushing teeth in the morning, to showering, and washing dishes, there are ways we can be greener. Taking the DTC team on a little visit around the nursery, we got to see many different types of plants and beautiful flowers, bringing colours to the garden landscape.
Later on, Calvin, who has been volunteering at FTS for more than 10 years, showed us the steps for a successful and smooth transplanting. The step-by-step may look simple and effortless (when Calvin demonstrated it); but, it isn’t as easy as it looks. Let’s just say, we did not ‘kill’ any plants that day — and Calvin was satisfied with our work.
(from TL) Everyone listening attentively as Calvin, one of the committee members at FTS, explained the steps for a successful transplanting at home.
(from TL– DR) Everyone was eager to try their hands on the green activities arranged for the morning.
“We did it!”: While learning more about tree planting, and some of the sustainable approaches we can practise in our daily lives, the team had a good time bonding in a garden filled with beautiful pots of plants, and certainly a whole new breath of fresh air.
Thank you everyone for the active participation. Image credit: FTS
That's a wrap!: A good lunch get together before we called it a day.
Practising eco-friendly in everyday life
More and more companies across business industries are committing to reducing their impact on the environment, by establishing more eco-conscious workplaces. And all of these start on the ground level with our workforce.
We believe that in order for an organisation to be truly sustainable in our approaches and business efforts — the people, who are our biggest assets, ought to share a similar mindset as the organisation, as a whole. We aim to make green thinking a key part of our company culture. That is why we encourage the 3Rs — Reducing, Reusing, Recycling — in all our offices.
We hope the green message could be spread across all team members, in their daily lives, may it be at work or at home. Being a proud signatory of the United Nations Global Compact, we are geared towards internalising the Ten Principles within the organisation’s strategies. With this FTS outing, we look forward to pursuing more initiatives and greater environmental responsibilities — as a team.
#bondwithnature: Lydia explaining how we can make our own compost heap in the office, using a compost bin and some of the household perishable food waste — e.g. vegetable peelings, fruit waste, teabags, plant prunings, and grass cuttings.
Practice makes perfect: We decided to purchase a compost bin, and attempt making our own compost — doing our fair bit for the environment, keeping sustainable living close to heart.
In good hands: Some of our colleagues do have some green fingers. The plants they brought home are looking bright and healthy. Images courtesy of: Jacqueline, George
Towards a more sustainable future
At DTC World, our focus on sustainability is an ongoing and exciting journey. Over the last year, we have strived to accelerate the pace and strengthen our efforts: our sustainability strategy, and all our actions with regard to our workforce, the planet, our communities, and through responsible business principles. We are delighted to receive the 2021 EcoVadis Platinum medal — as it recognises the continuous effort of our entire organisation in realising our sustainability strategy.
This award demonstrates our unceasing commitment to sustaining our environment, while keeping our social responsibility close to heart. We are proud to be leading the industry in these areas. Learn more about DTC World’s sustainability initiatives in the 2021 Sustainability Report or on our website.
