Media Statement: 13 July 2007

Meridian Employees Get Stuck In

Meridian Energy employees put their muscle behind shovels today in support of Project Crimson, the company’s major environmental sponsorship.

Five hundred northern rata trees were planted in Brooklyn today in support of the Project Crimson and Wellington City Council partnership that has seen Wellington’s indigenous tree - the rata – return to prominence in Wellington.

Donning gardening gloves and gumboots, over thirty employees worked with council staff to restore the Bell Road reserve with New Zealand’s stunning crimson flowering natives in a project that will be continued in the coming years.

“Meridian is delighted to play a role in preserving such an important part of Wellington’s native flora,” says Keith Turner, CEO of Meridian Energy.

“While it’s one thing to make a financial contribution to an organisation like Project Crimson it’s quite another for staff to get involved in a ‘hands-on’ way and make a practical contribution as well.”

Project Crimson is a charitable conservation trust established 16 years ago to protect and restore pohutukawa and rata to New Zealand. In that time, it has provided support and funding to thousands of community-based projects around New Zealand and has planted over 250,000 pohutukawa and rata trees.

“Today is evidence of how the commercial sector and the not for profit sector can work together to protect the environment,” says Bridget Abernethy, Executive Director of the Project Crimson Trust.

“Meridian Energy is not content with just providing commercial support to Project Crimson, but wants to have its people physically involved in the business of protecting New Zealand’s natural resources. It’s great for the employees and it sets a great example for other organisations in the commercial sector that are interested in protecting the environment.”

Meridian Energy took over principal sponsorship of Project Crimson in October 2006.

ENDS

© Scoop Media