Smurfit Kappa has announced that two of its employees have just completed an 8,500-kilometre cycle in aid of Ukraine.
The challenge, which lasted approximately 100 days and ran from May to August, was completed by Philippe Rechoulet (from France) and José Luis Tani Stanghellini (from Italy), who visited 36 Smurfit Kappa sites along the way.
Rechoulet and Tani Stanghellini’s bike ride raised €52,500 for Ukraine.
Smurfit Kappa matched the €52,500 raised by the cyclists, bringing the total sum to €105,000, which will be donated to Médecins sans Frontiéres in Poland.
The Journey
The cycle set off from Gibraltar, Spain, and went on to cross ten different countries before finishing in Nordkapp, which is the most northerly point of Norway.
According to the packaging firm, the purpose of the cycle was not only to provide further support to Ukrainian communities impacted by the war, but also to raise awareness of climate change and the benefits of an active lifestyle.
Nordkapp Objective Project
The Nordkapp charity cycle (Nordkapp Objective Project) is one of the many projects to which Smurfit Kappa has committed as part of its ongoing work to ‘positively impact the lives of vulnerable and underprivileged people’.
Commenting on the achievement, Saverio Mayer, CEO of Smurfit Kappa Europe, said, “This ambitious fundraiser – that was devised by the guys themselves – is testament to the good-hearted and caring nature of our employees here at Smurfit Kappa.
“Giving back to the community is something that we care about deeply, and the Nordkapp Objective Project is one of many initiatives we have in place across the globe to provide support where it is needed.”
Giving Back
“To have been part of the Nordkapp Objective Project has been one of the best moments of my professional career,” said Rechoulet.
“There were so many special moments, including receiving such great support and motivation from the Smurfit Kappa plants that we passed along the way.”
Tani Stanghellini added, “I think that it is important to give back where you can.
“A project like this is at the core of what Smurfit Kappa does, and it was great to be able to contribute to such a worthy cause and memorable experience.”
Read More: Smurfit Kappa Launches Sustainable District Heating Project
© 2022 Checkout – your source for the latest Irish retail news. Article by Donna Ahern. For more packaging stories, click here. Click subscribe to sign up for the Checkout print edition.
