The First OTP VILLAGE Opened just a few kilometres from the centre of Belgrade
In a location that is a habitat for thousands of bees, OTP VILLAGE was presented, the latest “green” project that OTP Bank is implementing in partnership with the ecological Association Supernatural. Launching an urban apiary and nursery garden with 12 types of honey plants is the latest in a series of initiatives through which OTP Bank provides support for environmental activism and contributes to the increase of biodiversity in the desire to point out the key role of bees for the preservation of our entire ecosystem.
According to Milena Mićanović, Chief of Communications and Public Relations of OTP Bank, the Bank carefully assesses its direct and indirect impacts on the environment and supports initiatives that have a positive impact on the overall state of the ecosystem.
“The fact that bees pollinate more than 70% of plants and that the same percentage of the total flora and fauna depends on them encouraged us to think about this important topic and to start OTP Village together with our partners from the Supernatural Association. Establishing nurseries of honey plants and starting apiaries is our way to contribute to the preservation of biodiversity, but also to open another important ecological topic, which is the increase of knowledge about honey and wild bees, whose survival depends on the survival of almost the entire planet. A responsible, rational and sustainable attitude towards resources and the natural environment is one of the key criteria both in the selection of projects and in the selection of partners that we will support. We are grateful to our collaborators from the Association Supernatural that, in addition to the Generator ZERO project and the fair of social and sustainable entrepreneurship, Generator of Good Deeds, this year, through OTP Village, we started another green story that should encourage us to carefully and responsibly choose how we behave today because the future and survival of those who come after us,” said Mićanović.
The multiple importance and role of bees are demonstrated by the fact that just one bee colony greatly increases the income of the surrounding agricultural crops through a significant increase in total yields. Srđan Stanković from the environmental organization Supernatural commented on their immeasurable contribution to the maintenance of the ecosystem and the importance of the participation of the private sector in green actions.
“In order to transform the current, linear and long-term unsustainable economic system that functions according to the “buy-consume-throw” model into a sustainable, circular one based on clean energy sources and biodegradable materials, the cooperation of all social actors is necessary. That is why the support that OTP bank has been providing for many years to many green programs is a real example of responsible behaviour of the private sector. Launching OTP Village as a project dedicated to bees and the very act of planting 1.000 honey plants is extremely important to us. We are proud to bring the wonderful world of bees closer to people, because bees, due to their role as pollinators, are the most important creatures on the planet,” concluded Stanković.
OTP Village is an additional step on the way to achieving net carbon neutrality by 2030 for OTP Bank and confirmation of its strategic commitment to a complete green transition. At the opening of OTP Village, all those interested had the opportunity to participate in the planting of honey plants, while Stanko Rajić, president of the Belgrade Association of Beekeepers of Serbia, and Maja Kovač, a pharmacist who founded the Smilje i Bosilje Association, could learn more about beekeeping and its urban models, as well as the importance and specifics of honey plants.