Small steps with big effect

Kim Berrendorf

August 29, 2019

Sustainability, Management

All beginnings are difficult. But those who keep on it can achieve great things. This also applies to efforts towards sustainable development. Some of our steps and measures may seem small and perhaps even insignificant when viewed in isolation. But that would be too short-sighted. We are staying on the topic. Continuous and long-term. Every step, however small, will bear fruit in due course and unfold its effect for a better and safer future.

Setting a good example

A good example of this are the 300 trees planted 17 years ago by 150 Baloise managers at the Interlaken International Management Meeting on around 2,000 metres above the town of Burglauenen in the Bernese Oberland. Today they are a natural and reliable avalanche protection.

Baloise board that reminds of the planting of Trees

A visit after 17 years

Karl Signer, former regional manager for Belgium and Luxembourg and participant in the planting campaign, has set out to inspect the trees in their full splendour today.

"As a former participant, I had long wondered how these trees had developed. On a beautiful day in September, the time had come: I walked via Schynige Platte in about 3.5 hours into this avalanche slope, impressive 1,300 metres above the valley floor. Thanks to the weathered memorial plaque and a helicopter picture taken during the event in August 2002, I was able to locate the area with "our" pines between the mighty avalanche barriers. Interestingly, I noticed large differences in the growth of the naturally slow growing pines. Most trees were between 1.5 and two, a few up to five meters high!"

I think that this sustainable action will make a significant contribution to (avalanche) safety in the Lütschental today and in the future.
Karl Signer

Trees that were planted as an avalanche protection

Protection of man and nature

17 years later, the protection of people and nature is still very important to us. That is why we are continuing to work with small and big steps towards a future worth living and safe.

More details about Baloise's small and big steps in the area of sustainability can be found on our website. Questions and suggestions are always welcome at nachhaltigkeit@baloise.com.

What is rubbish – and what can be recycled?

Not everything is rubbish. Much of what we throw away contains valuable waste materials that can be reused. To incinerate these materials would be to waste them.

Sustainability August 21, 2019