Henkel taught 5000 students in Slovakia about sustainability

Henkel employees teach children how to behave sustainably towards the environment

Inspired by the motto "If we want to change something, we have to start with ourselves," Henkel Slovensko employees educate primary school students across Slovakia. The goal is simple: trained employees teach them how to behave in an environmentally friendly way and be a role model for their siblings, parents and people around them. Thanks to a hundred ambassadors, the Sustainability Ambassadors program has reached more than 5,000 children in dozens of Slovak schools across the country this year. This can save up to 50 million litres of water or 2.6 million kWh of electricity a year.

If we do not change anything, we're going to need five planets by 2050

The Sustainability Ambassadors program shows third and fourth grade students of primary schools how they can easily save water and energy or reduce the amount of waste, all through a sample lesson during which everything is explained in a playful way. An interactive lesson, conducted by employees of Henkel Slovensko, gives children a practical guide on how to conserve the environment, by:

  • turning off the water tap when they don't need it (for example, while brushing their teeth);
  • turning off the light when they leave the room;
  • completely turning off the TV (pressing the red button is not enough because it only puts the TV in standby mode, which still consumes electricity);
  • closing the fridge as soon as they take what they need out of it;
  • using cloth tea towels rather than paper ones;
  • using towels repeatedly, without putting them in the laundry basket after each use.

"If we do not change the way we live, we will need five planets in 2050. It is important that we all respect our planet and behave sustainably. Each of us can make a change. That's why we decided to teach children how they could help the environment and, at the same time, inspire their parents and siblings to do the same," explains Christian Schulz, the President of Henkel Slovensko. “Since our own employees are our most important source when it comes to creating more sustainable solutions and raising awareness of the topic, we decided to set up a program which enables them to become ambassadors,” added Christian Schulz.

Five thousand children know how to behave sustainably towards the environment

The Henkel employees who volunteer to become Sustainability Ambassadors receive special training. They also receive all the information and props needed for their interactive lesson, such as an animated video featuring an interactive globe. Thanks to the tips received during the lesson, the students become little ambassadors who talk about sustainability with their own families, friends, and other people around them. "This year, we set a goal of teaching the principles of sustainability to 3,000 children. However, we met this ambition back in June already. Today, we can proudly say that we have exceeded the limit of 5,000 children and that by the end of the year we will be, dare we say, approaching 5,500 children all thanks to the proportional increase in our volunteer trainers. Our employees are encouraged to go back to their schools, meet their former teachers, and share a valuable lesson with the students. The number of our active volunteers has already exceeded one hundred," says Christian Schulz.

Henkel’s lesson on sustainability can be booked by any school

Students from Nobelovo námestie Primary School in Bratislava have also found that learning about sustainability and ecology can be both useful and fun. "The school is becoming more aware of the importance of talking about sustainability. That is why we welcomed Henkel Slovakia's initiative to organise an interactive lesson for us. The pupils really enjoyed it. In a fun way they became familiar with the resources and the importance of saving energy in the interest of nature protection. I believe that they will further develop and use the knowledge they received today in their daily lives, both at home and here at school," says headmistress Valéria Fogašová.

Every primary school in Slovakia can join The Sustainability Ambassadors program through www.sampioni.sk, a website established by Henkel Slovensko. The site contains all the information about the project, including a quiz in which you can test your knowledge.

About Henkel:
Henkel operates globally with a well-balanced and diversified portfolio. The company holds leading positions with its three business units in both industrial and consumer businesses thanks to strong brands, innovations and technologies. Henkel Adhesive Technologies is the global leader in the adhesives market across all industry segments worldwide. In its Laundry & Home Care and Beauty Care businesses, Henkel holds leading positions in many markets and categories around the world. Founded in 1876, Henkel looks back on more than 140 years of success. In 2016, Henkel reported sales of 18.7 billion euros and an adjusted operating profit of 3.2 billion euros. Combined sales of the respective top brands of the three business units – Loctite, Schwarzkopf and Persil – amounted to more than 6 billion euros. Henkel employs more than 50,000 people globally – a passionate and highly diverse team united by a strong company culture, a common purpose to create sustainable value, and shared values. As a recognized leader in sustainability, Henkel holds top positions in many international indices and rankings. Henkel’s preferred shares are listed in the German stock index DAX. For more information, please visit www.henkel.com.

Henkel has been operating in Slovakia in all its three strategic areas since 1991. Henkel Slovensko sells more than 50 brands and, as of today, employs more than 1,600 people.

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