LOGISTICS AND APIARY - A PERFECT DUO!

Bees bustling around the hives, beekeepers in special outfits, honey harvesting - this is not a picture of idyllic countryside but the headquarters of one of the biggest logistics operators in Europe. This year, Raben Group launched a social and ecological project of helping bees with the motto “Drive to Bee”. The apiary consisting of five beehives was set up in Robakowo near Poznań and it is looked after by volunteers - employees of the company.

The 90th anniversary of Raben Group celebrated in 2021 was an opportunity not only to look back and reminisce but also to undertake interesting and important initiatives which will pay off in the future. One of them is “Drive to Bee” - an action in which Raben has taken the first step towards protecting the bee population and improving the sensitive ecosystem. Its content partner is the Pszczelarium company which promotes beekeeping and specializes in setting up urban apiaries.

In May this year, Raben Group headquarters became home for thousands of bees. Five beehives were naturally integrated into the space at the back of the company's headquarters in Robakowo. Employees who volunteered to participate in the project were trained in order to be able to professionally look after bees. Currently, a group of 9 Bee Heroes are directly involved in this project and all employees receive news and interesting facts about the life of hard-working insects via a newsletter. The result of the spring and summer work of the Raben Apiary inhabitants was the first honey harvest during which 30 litres of excellent goldenrod honey was obtained. It could be tasted by the Group's employees, also from other countries - the Polish Business Unit wants to encourage them to adopt the action locally in their markets.

This is yet another ecological project carried out by Raben in support of biodiversity and the choice of bees as specific beneficiaries is not accidental.

“We focused on bees not only to take care of the environment. The Raben Apiary is a reflection of how we work and what kind of a team we are. Just like bees, each day we leave our perfectly organised hive and travel many kilometres to reach our destination and later return home safely. We cooperate and support each other in everyday challenges to achieve one common goal” - Anita Koralewska-Ratajczak, Head of HR in Raben Group, explains. - “The worlds of logistics and bees have a lot in common - we want to show that to others!” – she adds.

“Drive to Bee” is a proof of Raben Group's responsible approach to ecology and the environment as well as its awareness of the difficult situation of bees in Poland and in the whole world. The “logistics” apiary helps to educate about the important role these insects play in nature, inspire action and infect others with the idea of beekeeping. It is worth noting that it brings benefits not only in the environmental but also in the social dimension.

“Our bee project has opened a new space for employees' talents and passions. Meetings in the apiary and watching the bees together integrated the volunteers and gave them an impulse to promote the idea of “Drive to Bee” in local communities. Ecological education is a very important aspect of this action”  - says Beata Szymczak, Strategic HR Business Partner in Raben Group.

In July, the company hosted children during summer beekeeping workshops. In September, one of the Bee Heroes ran  educational classes in a kindergarten in Poznań. And this is only the beginning of Raben's adventure with bees. There is a plan to expand the project to other depots of the Group - at home and abroad. Next year, “Drive to Bee” will be launched in Czechia, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Hungary, among others.

More information about the project can be found at https://www.drivetobee.com/en