Through the “My Green City” initiative, a total of 180 trees will be planted this autumn in Sofia, Plovdiv, and Burgas
With the planting of 60 trees in the area of Youth Hill in Plovdiv, damaged by fire a year ago - the team of Coca-Cola HBC Bulgaria and its partners symbolically marked the 60th anniversary of the production of the first Coca-Cola bottle in Bulgaria. In addition to the company’s employees, the initiative was joined by the Mayor of Plovdiv, Kostadin Dimitrov, along with long-standing partners from the National Association of Volunteers in Bulgaria, association “BG Be Active,” and the Happy restaurant chain.
The volunteer initiative “My Green City” is being held for the 18th consecutive year and will continue with a tree-planting event in Burgas, following successful reforestation efforts in Sofia at the end of October.
“I am glad that through our volunteer work we brought back the beauty of Youth Hill, which is a designated natural landmark. Once again, we have shown that beyond the significant economic impact Coca-Cola has in Bulgaria, for 18 years now our colleagues and partners have shared a common cause - caring for the environment we live in,” said Jacklin Tzocheva, Corporate Affairs & Sustainability Director at Coca-Cola HBC Bulgaria.
The donated and planted trees are of the Celtis (Hackberry) species, chosen for their resilience and ability to contribute to a healthier and more beautiful urban environment. The selection of species and their size (over two meters tall) were coordinated with the Municipality of Plovdiv to meet the needs of this emblematic location beloved by the citizens of Plovdiv.
“I would like to thank the Coca-Cola HBC Bulgaria team and all volunteers who today showed by example how we can work together to preserve Plovdiv’s natural treasures. Youth Hill is one of the city’s most iconic and cherished green symbols, and every effort to protect it is of great importance. Just a few days ago, we announced the start of an architectural competition for the design of a concept plan for part of the park’s improvement. I am glad that Plovdiv is part of the “My Green City” initiative, and that business, citizens, and the municipality are working together for a cleaner, greener, and more beautiful city,” said Plovdiv Mayor Kostadin Dimitrov.
The “My Green City” initiative aligns with Coca-Cola HBC’s global ESG commitments. To mark its 18th edition earlier this year, hundreds of Coca-Cola HBC volunteers cleaned and improved the Kremikovtsi Park area and created new pedestrian walkways along the Perlovska River.
As part of previous editions of “My Green City,” the Coca-Cola team in Bulgaria has successfully greened, cleaned, and revitalized numerous local areas, forests, and parks. Each year, the campaign selects locations where volunteer work can make a meaningful difference for the environment, improving ecological conditions and local natural resources. In just the past four editions of the initiative (from 2022 to today), volunteers have collected over 11 tons of household and recyclable waste from dozens of polluted sites across Bulgaria, cleaned more than 1,550 decares of contaminated land near water bodies, planted over 300 deciduous and coniferous trees in the centers of Sofia, Plovdiv, and Kostinbrod, and supported numerous community-beneficial projects.
