In celebration of their 16th annual Community Partnership Day, almost 400 Novartis Egypt employees traded their work stations for gardening gloves, as they set out to plant 150 trees using sustainable agriculture techniques.

The one-day event aims to promote a brighter future for the environment and society by introducing to many people the importance of urban farming as a sustainable tool for healthy urban living.

Themed 'Seeds of Hope', the event was implemented in collaboration with Nawaya, a non-profit organization promoting sustainable agriculture, and the Right to Live Association for the Intellectually Disabled (RTLA), Egypt's first organization providing care and training to persons with intellectual disabilities.

"Corporate responsibility is part of our essence of who we are at Novartis. Today marks our 16th annual Community Partnership Day, an important way in which Novartis lives up to its strong commitment to corporate citizenship," said George Zarkalis, Novartis CPO Head and Country President. "Almost 400 Novartis Egypt team members from the company's various divisions including Novartis Pharma, Sandoz, OTC and Alcon, today join their colleagues around the world in volunteering their time and effort to contribute to their community's overall welfare."

"'Seeds of Hope' follows Earth Day offering a great opportunity to reflect on the impact we each have on our planet," said Dr Salah El Sharkawy, Novartis Vice President and Spokesperson. "Planting trees in celebration of Earth Day represents our commitment to providing a safe, healthy and sustainable environment for all those who live and visit our wonderful city."

Participants worked hard throughout the event planting nearly 150 fruit trees in RTLA's communal gardens in Heliopolis. The team also engaged the surrounding community in planting, and helped raise awareness on the benefits of going green and understanding the importance of maintaining the newly planted locations.

Furthermore, Novartis is donating all the equipment used to farmers in need in Abu Sir, contributing to a lasting and sustainable community impact.