Atlas Insurance, one of Malta's leading insurers, has teamed up with the environment rejuvenation movement Saġġar, and created an opportunity to contribute in a hands-on manner toward this national initiative, which has the aim of planting one million trees in Malta.

Four teams from Atlas amounting to over 60 people spent a working day at Saġġar's working facility in Wardija. During these four hands-on workshops, they learnt and practiced how to grow saplings from seeds and cuttings from other trees. Prior to these workshops, a number of information sessions were held at Atlas offices by members of Saġġar.

The days out with Saġġar were given as one of the two extra voluntary leave days provided by Atlas, to contribute towards initiatives that are in line with the company's Corporate Social Responsibility programme.

In addition, Atlas gave a donation of €5,000 to Saġġar that will be used for the purchasing of saplings, trees and for the running of the workshops.

Matthew von Brockdorff, Managing Director and CEO Designate of Atlas, joined his colleagues in one of the four workshops and said: "We are really proud to be supporting this exciting initiative driven by Saġġar, which is in line with Atlas's own environmental and sustainability programme."

"Having spent a whole day getting our hands dirty and contributing to the great work the team at Saġġar are doing is of great satisfaction. It was an opportunity for us to further the information sessions that we had with our colleagues prior to attending these workshops, so as to create more awareness on the importance of the sustainability of our environment. In addition, it was a great team-building activity for us at Atlas" he said.

One of the participants of the workshops was Joanna Varrazzo, Senior Executive Health Claims, who said: "During the one-day workshop, we split up in three groups and each group performed a different task. Some of us were extracting the seeds from fruits, while others were generating cuttings from other trees. Through the cuttings, we were able to plant saplings. I am happy that, as part of Atlas, we have been given this opportunity to contribute to the betterment of the Maltese environment."

Saġġar aims to sow and plant a million trees and shrubs of the native genotype and rehabilitate ecological reserves, public land and private lands. Saġġar is the brainchild of the QLZH Foundation, managed by the team at QuickLets and Zanzi Homes. In collaboration with ACT. Environment, who provide their ecological expertise to ensure that the project is rolled out sustainably, the QLZH Foundation embarked on this mission to make Malta greener by one million trees.

Atlas Group operates an extensive branch and intermediary network throughout Malta and Gozo and is one of Malta's leading insurance and financial services companies on the island. The group employs just over 190 people.