Tree Planting and Beyond: Lidl Hellas & We4all for Biodiversity

BUSINESS: 403 PRACTICES

Lidl Hellas has been active in Greece since 1999. Today the company employs more than 6700 workers, while its network includes 231 stores and 5 state-of-the-art supply centers. It is included for the 9th consecutive year in "The Most Sustainable Companies in Greece", while for the 7th consecutive year it receives the distinction of "Top Employer" in Greece and Europe.
At Lidl Greece we are proud because we build perspective for all our stakeholders, on solid, sustainable foundations. Business ethics are a source of inspiration for our values and the chain of responsibility becomes an act of sustainable empowerment for our own people, consumers, partners.
Sustainability for us is not a simple wording, but shapes our business profile and runs horizontally through our daily life.
We are moving on the trajectory of a new sustainability strategy, which develops in three dynamic axes: "Good for the planet", "Good for people" and "Good for you" with the individual actions spread over six strategic pillars: climate protection, respect for biodiversity, conservation of resources, business law, health protection and participation in dialogue. It is a functional as well as an innovative approach that allows us to respond with best practices, at the right time, to a variety of challenges. We adapt quickly, build efficiency and remain sustainable, extroverted and beneficial to the whole.
The goal of the initiative is to restore ecosystems, strengthen biodiversity and mobilize citizens, employees and local communities in response to the impact of the climate crisis. Through the strategic partnership between Lidl Hellas and We4all, environmental responsibility becomes collective action: tree planting, clean-ups of natural areas, climate walks, educational workshops and volunteering activities are connected with the real needs of each location. The initiative supports climate protection and the preservation of natural resources, while cultivating a culture of participation in which restoration is not a one-off action, but an ongoing commitment with a tangible environmental and social footprint.

Lidl Hellas employees and their families, students, volunteers, local communities, organizations and citizens who participate in or benefit from ecosystem restoration, environmental education and biodiversity protection activities.
The Lidl Hellas - We4all partnership began in 2022 and continues. In 2025, a new cycle of targeted actions was implemented in multiple regions of Greece.
With a firm commitment to sustainable development and environmental protection, Lidl Hellas has been developing a strategic partnership with We4all since 2022. We4all is an international non-profit organization specializing in ecosystem restoration, environmental education and citizen mobilization. The partnership goes beyond the limits of a typical tree-planting activity and operates as an integrated program of participatory restoration, awareness raising and volunteering, with interventions in different regions of Greece.
In 2025, the collaboration was further strengthened through targeted actions in Ioannina, Alexandroupoli, Thessaloniki, Parnitha and Trikala. The program included climate walks, tree planting, clean-ups of natural areas, educational workshops for children and actions with an animal welfare dimension. At Lake Pamvotida, 1,100 liters of waste were collected; at Lake Beletsi, 600 liters were collected; in Alexandroupoli, 120 trees were planted and 1,000 kilograms of animal feed were donated to a stray animal shelter; while at the New Waterfront of Thessaloniki, 100 mature trees were planted with the participation of employees and their families. In Megarchi, Trikala, an area affected by the 2023 floods, 180 new trees were planted, contributing to the regeneration of the local ecosystem.
The initiative stands out because it combines ecosystem restoration, biodiversity protection, environmental education and active participation. Lidl Hellas and We4all respond to the climate crisis with consistency, expertise and employee engagement, demonstrating that a company-NGO partnership can create long-term value for nature and society.

The Lidl Hellas - We4all partnership has delivered tangible and measurable results for the protection of ecosystems and biodiversity. From 2022 to 2025, 17,800 mature trees and saplings have been planted, contributing to the restoration of 160.2 stremmas of land. Based on an average annual absorption of 22 kilograms of CO2 per tree, the overall intervention corresponds to an estimated sequestration potential of 391.6 tons of CO2 per year.
In 2025, the actions highlighted the nationwide and multidimensional character of the initiative: 1,100 liters of waste were collected at Lake Pamvotida and 600 liters at Lake Beletsi; 120 trees were planted in Alexandroupoli; 100 mature trees at the New Waterfront of Thessaloniki; and 180 new trees in Megarchi, Trikala. At the same time, the Alexandroupoli action combined environmental and social value through the donation of 1,000 kilograms of animal feed to a stray animal shelter.
The impact on the target audience is equally important: employees, families, students, volunteers and local communities actively participate, receive training and build an experiential relationship with nature protection. As a result, the program generates not only environmental value, but also stronger environmental awareness and shared responsibility.
Ioannina, Alexandroupoli, Thessaloniki, Parnitha, Trikala and selected intervention areas across Greece, based on ecosystem restoration needs and local community engagement.
The initiative is implemented in strategic cooperation with We4all. Lidl Hellas mobilizes resources, people and corporate networks, while We4all contributes environmental expertise, intervention planning and field implementation. Depending on each action, the partnership is supported by local bodies, school communities, volunteers and organizations connected with the needs of each area.
Employee participation is a key element of the initiative. #teamLidl takes part in tree planting, clean-ups, climate walks and educational activities, often together with family members. In the New Waterfront of Thessaloniki action alone, more than 120 employees and family members participated. In total, since the beginning of the partnership, more than 400 people have participated and been trained, including more than 200 in 2025.
For Lidl Hellas, the partnership strengthens sustainable business practice and the strategic pillar of climate protection, demonstrating that corporate responsibility can be translated into meaningful field action. It also reinforces an internal culture of volunteering and participation, as employees become active contributors to actions with real environmental impact.
For We4all, the partnership provides stability, resources and the ability to scale interventions in more regions. For local communities, it creates cleaner, more resilient and greener spaces, while strengthening education and participation. Overall, the program serves as a model of business-NGO cooperation for the protection of ecosystems and biodiversity, with consistency, credibility and a measurable footprint.
