Auchan Korzó launches an Adopt-a-Tree campaign

On May 20, 2023, we held the opening ceremony of the Adopt a Tree project, which was developed on the premises of our client, Auchan Commercial Center in Soroksár, part of the Ceetrus portfolio. Balázs Gábosy, Director of Business Development, Sales and Operations of Nhood Services Hungary, Emőke Kiss, Director of Auchan hypermarket and Balázs Bozzay, forestry technician and project development expert, spoke on the occasion.

Our company, Nhood Services Hungary Kft., the Hungarian subsidiary of Nhood, is the operator of the Auchan Korzó shopping centres, which are part of the Ceetrus portfolio. The brand includes almost 650 shops, service providers, restaurants and cafés in 18 Auchan stores nationwide, including many well-known global brands.

Our corporate philosophy is based on the unity of the triple pillars of People, Planet & Profit, meaning we operate not only for economic benefit, but also consider the human factor and the protection of our planet, striving to develop the real estate portfolio entrusted to us in an exemplary manner and to make sure we contribute with our activities to the achievement of the EU climate goals.

Linked to this is our ambition to gradually re-green the commercial sites we manage in all Nhood countries, contributing to a more liveable environment for us all through regular tree planting and significant green space improvements.

Based on this idea, in April 2022, a project was launched in cooperation with the 10 Million Trees Association at the Soroksár Auchan Commercial Center, where we planted 600 forestry ball-bearing tree seedlings on 200 m2. This forest is a very fast-growing, 5-fold CO2 sequestration compared to traditional tree planting, a walkable Zen Garden, created in a Yin-Yang pattern. The afforestation project continued this year with landscaping, the aim of which is to ensure that the aesthetically designed green grove, in addition to environmental protection aspects, also serves as a relaxation place for customers who come to the shopping center.

In addition, we planted 87 native trees on about 700 square meters, ensuring their strengthening with continuous watering. Under our Adopt-a-Tree project, these trees will be available for adoption. The campaign’s aim is to raise public awareness of the importance of protecting the environment and preserving our natural heritage.

Hobby gardeners who sign up to the project can choose a tree they wish to care for. This includes not only watering, but also tidying up the area around the trunk of the tree, removing weeds and collecting green waste in the autumn, while we provide a watering can to help with the care and issue a certificate of adoption.

Saturday's event also saw the announcement of the results of the project's children's drawing competition, organized to mark the Day of Birds and Trees. The first three winners received a book prize, while all participators received a small gift. The event ended with a joint gardening session, where the children planted another tree in an outdoor activity.
According to our plans, both with the Miyawaki mini forest and the current Adopt-a-Tree project, we will create a long-term asset that, in addition to its positive social and ecological impact, also supports the positive perception of the Auchan Korzó brand.