Lebanon is moving towards brighter times: solar parks are nearing completion
Sustainability and social responsibility are deeply rooted in Collectia's DNA, and therefore it is important for us to help where it is needed. Headquartered in one of the world's greenest countries, we feel a duty to take the lead in reducing emissions beyond our own borders.
That's why we partnered with Xplora and United Cities and launched a worldwide project in early 2022 to turn physical activity into humanitarian work.
The first step has been to help the war-affected Lebanese in Bchaaleh with the vital "Net Zero in 12 months" project. The Net Zero project is about creating a carbon-neutral Bchaaleh in 12 months, using donations in the form of steps. All donated steps will be converted into real funds, which will go towards solar parks in the city.
Why Lebanon?
Lebanon has a weakened national economy and suffers from a massive energy shortage, which means that they only have access to 2 hours of electricity per day.
It can be hard to imagine what it must be like to live in a city that is constrained daily by not having enough electricity. George Antoin Nassar, a 45-year-old father from Bchaaleh, Lebanon, explains in an interview what it is like to deal with the lack of electricity. Not only at his work, he is challenged to perform his duties, but also his family, who have to deal with the fridge turned off, limited power for the washing machine, no heating in winter, and almost no connection to the internet, which greatly affects the children's education.
In addition to having too little access to electricity, the Lebanese use polluting diesel generators, which is an unsustainable solution for their lives and for the climate challenges the whole world is facing. Science clearly shows that to avert the worst climate change and preserve a habitable planet, it is necessary to limit the emissions that cause global warming.
A bright future for the Lebanese - thanks to you!
We are proud to announce that we have reached our goal in Bchaaleh, thanks to 11,894 participants who have generously donated a total of 1.5 billion steps via the Xplora app. All these steps have led us to start the installation of the solar parks on September 1st, and since then, the project has been moving at a fast pace. The installation is expected to be completed by mid-December 2022 and, with the increased electricity, will allow for more productive working hours, better healthcare, better learning environments, sustainable food production and new business opportunities.
Now we are just looking forward to the most special part of the project, when the solar panels see the light, start working and start improving the lives not only of George Antoin Nassar and his family, but of all the citizens of Lebanon.
A Greener Community
At Collectia, we work daily with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, as part of our ESG strategy, by ensuring sustainable and modern energy supplies, supporting sustainable actions in local communities and fighting the climate crisis we are facing.
At our head office in Brøndby, all employees work towards a common goal of making a difference for our climate. We do this by, among other things, reducing our paper consumption, which historically has always been high in the debt collection industry. In addition, we have invested in solar energy at our head office, and we make sure to educate, engage and involve our employees in green initiatives that will contribute to sustainable thinking.