Environmental Protection of Ecosystems & Biodiversity
ENVIRONMENT
BUSINESS: 403 PRACTICES
TOPIC:
Initiative
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Objective Action
The objective of the initiative is to protect and restore natural ecosystems, with emphasis on coastal, marine and forest areas, through organized voluntary actions, partnerships with specialized organizations and active participation of PharOS employees.
The initiative aims to translate the company’s environmental strategy into practical field action, strengthening environmental awareness, collective responsibility, employees’ connection with nature and the reduction of environmental impact in areas of high ecological value.
At the same time, it aims to create a recurring corporate volunteering model for the environment, which is not limited to isolated actions but is embedded in PharOS’ broader ESG culture.
Target Audience
The initiative primarily addresses PharOS employees, who participate actively as volunteers and ambassadors of environmental responsibility.
It also addresses employees’ families and friends who participate in selected actions, local communities where the interventions take place, environmental organizations and the broader society that benefits from cleaner, safer and more sustainable natural ecosystems.
The participation of children in coastal clean-up actions is particularly important, as the initiative also functions as a tool for experiential environmental education for younger generations.
Duration
The initiative has an annual and recurring character within the PharOS Can-Do program. Actions are planned and implemented every year, depending on the needs of intervention areas and the availability of partner organizations. The initiative is ongoing, with new environmental actions planned and carried out every year.
Description
The initiative was designed by the PharOS Can-Do team as a participatory environmental action mechanism, aiming to connect the company’s ESG strategy with tangible field results. It includes clean-ups of coastal areas, underwater areas, forest ecosystems and green spaces, as well as awareness activities related to marine pollution, biodiversity and responsible waste management.
Its distinctive characteristic is that it is not a single volunteering activity, but a recurring model for employee activation. Each action follows a specific methodology: identification of an environmental need, selection of the appropriate partner organization, internal awareness and employee mobilization, preparation of materials and equipment, field implementation and recording of results.
The originality of the initiative lies in the combination of three elements:
a) activation of employees and families,
b) collaboration with specialized environmental organizations,
c) interventions in different types of ecosystems.
In this way, PharOS does not treat environmental responsibility as a communication or isolated activity, but as an experiential process of behavioral change. Employees do not simply participate as volunteers; they act as ambassadors of environmental responsibility, transferring the company’s commitment from policy level to everyday culture.
The initiative is innovative because it combines environmental restoration, education, internal engagement and collaboration with scientific or specialized environmental organizations. Therefore, each action produces dual value: immediate environmental impact and long-term cultivation of environmental awareness.
The initiative is primarily linked to SDG 14: Life Below Water, as it promotes the protection of marine and coastal ecosystems through clean-up activities, waste removal, and awareness actions addressing marine pollution. At the same time, it also contributes to SDG 15: Life on Land through forest clean-up initiatives and tree planting activities that support the protection and restoration of terrestrial ecosystems.
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Impact on Society
The initiative has created tangible environmental impact, contributing to the removal of waste from coastal, marine and forest ecosystems, while strengthening the environmental awareness of employees, families and local communities.
Based on recorded actions, at least 55.5 kg of waste have been collected from coastal and underwater clean-ups, excluding the Parnitha waste bags and car tires that have not been converted into kilograms.
Specifically:
- 17 kg of waste were collected in Anavyssos.
- 20 kg of waste were collected at Kavouri Beach, including 4 kg of recyclable materials.
- More than 15 bags of waste were collected at Mount Parnitha.
- At Marikes Beach in Rafina, the team collected 88 assorted plastic pieces, 3.5 kg of ropes and fishing nets, 4.5 kg of metals, 7 kg of mixed plastic and wood, 27 car tires and other rubber items, 5 hazardous items, including a car battery, and 3.5 kg of residues.
- At the Chaidari Botanical Garden, 50 trees were planted, mainly cypresses, oaks and pines.
The Rafina action was particularly important because it combined coastal and underwater clean-up. The collection of tires, hazardous items, plastics, metals, ropes and fishing nets demonstrates that the intervention addressed more complex forms of pollution, which are not always visible to citizens but significantly affect marine ecosystems.
The participation of children in the Anavyssos and Kavouri actions also had an educational impact, as children actively participated in identifying and removing waste, understanding in practice the consequences of pollution on the marine environment.
Initiative Location
The actions take place in natural ecosystems of high environmental value in Greece, such as Anavyssos, Kavouri, Mount Parnitha, the Chaidari Botanical Garden and Marikes Beach in Rafina.
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Working with Organization
The initiative is implemented through collaborations with specialized environmental and volunteer organizations, ensuring that actions are designed and implemented with safety, expertise and environmental credibility.
Indicatively, PharOS has collaborated with:
- HELMEPA – Hellenic Marine Environment Protection Association, for coastal clean-ups and awareness activities on marine pollution. The collaboration has a strategic character, as PharOS is also an official Corporate Supporter of HELMEPA for 2024.
- MEPP Environmental, for combined coastal and underwater clean-up actions in areas with increased environmental burden.
- Parnitha Volunteers, for forest ecosystem protection and clean-up activities.
- Chaidari Botanical Garden / competent local bodies, for tree-planting and green space enhancement actions.
These collaborations strengthen the credibility of the initiative, as they combine employee volunteering with the experience of organizations that understand the needs of each ecosystem. They also ensure that the intervention is not limited to symbolic presence, but is implemented in an organized way and with respect for local environmental conditions.
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Workers Participation
Employees participate voluntarily in all stages of the initiative: planning, communication, organization and field implementation. The PharOS Can-Do team acts as internal coordinator, while participation is open to employees outside the team, friends and family members, expanding the social and environmental impact.
The active engagement of employees is reflected in the individual actions implemented:
- 21 employees participated in the clean-up of Mount Parnitha National Park, contributing to the protection of forest ecosystems,
- 8 employees and 22 children took part in the beach clean-up in Anavyssos, strengthening family participation and raising environmental awareness among younger generations.
- In the combined underwater and coastal clean-up in Rafina, 26 employees participated, addressing marine pollution,
- 71 employees took part in the tree-planting activity at the Chaidari Botanical Garden, contributing to the enhancement of biodiversity.
- 35 employees and 22 children participated in the beach clean-up in Kavouri, supporting coastal protection and reinforcing the initiative’s connection with the wider community.
Overall, based on available participation data, at least 211 employees and 44 children have participated in the main environmental actions of the initiative. In this way, employee participation extends beyond the boundaries of the organization and evolves into a dynamic collective effort with meaningful and multiplying environmental and social impact.
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Benefits for Οrganization
The initiative strengthens PharOS’ ESG culture, turns employees into active sustainability ambassadors and reinforces the company’s connection with society. It also enhances cross-team collaboration, employee pride and the company’s outward-facing environmental responsibility profile.
For PharOS, the initiative operates as a practical mechanism for embedding ESG strategy into corporate culture. Voluntary participation creates stronger connections among employees from different departments, enhances internal collaboration and gives people the opportunity to participate in actions with visible results.
At the same time, collaborations with organizations such as HELMEPA, MEPP Environmental and Parnitha Volunteers enhance the company’s outward-facing role and its connection with specialized environmental organizations. PharOS’ recognition as a Corporate Supporter of HELMEPA further strengthens the credibility of its environmental presence and highlights the consistency of its commitment to marine protection.
Connection with Global Goals
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