Actually, Sustainability IS for Everyone Issue 39: 14 Forests for our 14th Anniversary

On August 10, 2024, KnowBe4 marked a significant milestone as we celebrated our 14th anniversary. As an organization deeply committed to environmental responsibility, we decided to commemorate this special occasion in a way that aligns with our core values and makes a lasting impact on our planet's biodiversity. This year, we took our dedication to sustainability to new heights, turning our anniversary celebration into a powerful initiative for positive change.?

For our 14th anniversary, we were excited to launch a three-pronged initiative that benefits our environment, involving bees, trees, and species:

1. Planting Forests: In partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation , we donated funds to plant a whopping 14,000 trees across 14 different forests. These forests span the globe, including locations in Australia, Brazil, California, Florida, Germany, India, Indonesia, Netherlands, UK, Washington State, and Madagascar. Each forest will receive between 500 to 2000 trees, significantly boosting local ecosystems and enhancing biodiversity.

1. Protecting Species: Through these tree plantings, we are actively supporting the conservation of 14 different species, contributing to the rich tapestry of biodiversity in these regions (see the list below).

1. Adopting Bees: To further support biodiversity, we also adopted 14 beehives! This initiative will help protect these crucial pollinators and maintain the delicate balance of our ecosystems. This is our fourth year in a row adopting beehives (read more below)!

According to Arbor Day Foundation, the trees planted from our donation will offset 11,326 tons of carbon over the next 40 years. That is the equivalent of removing approximately 2,462 passenger vehicles from the road for one year. Put another way, it's roughly equal to the carbon emissions from 1,415 passenger flights from New York to London.

Our tree plantings actively support the conservation of the following 14 different species:

1. Grey Wolf

2. North American Wolverine

3. Tricolored Bat ??

4. Canada Lynx

5. Gulf Sturgeon

6. Eastern Indigo Snake

7. Amazonian Manatee

8. Brown Spider Monkey

9. Blue-throated Macaw

10. Magdalena River Turtle

11. Natterjack Toad

12. American Mink?

13. Angel Shark

14. Monarch Butterflies

Those of you who follow KnowBe4 may remember our adopted beehives from our 11th, 12th, and 13th anniversaries. Given how much our employees love our bee initiative, we were thrilled to partner with the PINELLAS BEEKEEPERS ASSOCIATION INC (PBA) to adopt beehives for the fourth consecutive year.

Each mature hive, or colony, houses an impressive 20,000–35,000 honey bees. Do the math, and you'll see that KnowBe4's donation could add up to a staggering 490,000 bees to our planet! To put it in perspective, our adopted bees have the potential to pollinate up to 4.2 billion flowers daily. Talk about making a sweet impact!

Why are bees so important? According to Greenpeace:

• Honey bees, both wild and domesticated, are responsible for about 80% of all pollination worldwide.
• A single bee colony can pollinate an astonishing 300 million flowers each day.
• Bees play a crucial role in our food supply: they pollinate 70 out of the top 100 human food crops, which provide about 90% of the world's nutrition.

Between pesticides, loss of habitat, pollution, climate change, and parasites, bees can use all the help they can get. And the good news is, humans are able to provide that help. By continuing our bee adoption program, we're not just celebrating our company's growth – we're actively contributing to the health of our ecosystem and the security of our global food supply. It's a small way of contributing to the world of environmental conservation.

Several employees have visited our adopted beehives over the past few years, and have met with the President and Vice President of the Pinellas Beekeepers Association (https://pinellasbeekeepers.buzz/). These interactive visits have provided valuable insights into our environmental initiative and its real-world impact; they have been both educational and enjoyable for all involved.

Our 14th anniversary celebration isn't just about numbers – it's about making a real difference. By supporting diverse ecosystems across the globe, we are helping to create a more sustainable future for all.