Today is the International Day of Climate Action. A good opportunity to highlight the commitment of colleagues at the Pepperl+Fuchs site in Trutnov, Czech Republic. They have taken part in several litter-picking campaigns in their region—most recently at the end of April. In this interview, Jiri tells us more about it.
Hello, Jiri. Today is International Day of Climate Action. You and your colleagues have already taken part in several litter-picking campaigns. How did this come about?
Hello! In 2023, with the support of Pepperl+Fuchs, I launched an initiative aimed at collecting suggestions from employees for projects to reduce CO₂ emissions. One of the suggestions involved public clean-up and volunteer activities. I then researched which volunteer organizations exist in the Czech Republic and how we could get involved in a practical way. That is how I discovered the nationwide campaign “Let’s Clean Up Czechia” (Ukliďme Česko). Last year, we took part in the campaign twice—once in March and once in September. Together with colleagues and their children, we collected litter around Trutnov. This year, we took part in the clean-up campaign again.
How was the campaign announced at Pepperl+Fuchs?
In advance, we invited employees to take part via a company-wide email, notices on the bulletin board, and a post on our intranet. Employees were able to register gradually. This was very helpful for the further planning process, as it allowed us to gauge interest and estimate approximately how many pairs of gloves and garbage bags we would need. I then registered our team, including an estimated number of participants, on the volunteer organization’s website and ordered a support package containing gloves and garbage bags. In addition, I borrowed several manual litter pickers and organized the later collection of the gathered waste with a local recycling or waste disposal company.
Making a difference together beyond the working day
And how did the litter-picking campaign itself go?
First, we met on the company premises. There, all colleagues received a brief safety briefing, and we distributed the equipment. We then split into two groups and decided on our routes. Each person took one or two garbage bags. During the campaign, we sorted similar types of waste into separate bags and placed them at designated collection points—usually three to four bags at each location. We followed the planned routes, collected litter along the way, and also took care of additional areas where clean-up was needed. In total, we walked several kilometers and cleaned an area of approximately ten hectares.
How much waste was collected during the most recent campaign?
At the end of April, we collected approximately 70 kilograms of waste. We found many different types of litter. Throughout the campaign, I documented the amount and the different types of waste collected, estimated the total volume, and submitted the report via the volunteer portal. The following day, I provided the waste disposal company with the locations of the collection points. The garbage bags were then collected promptly.
What is your conclusion?
It is simply even more enjoyable to work together for a good cause. The campaign combines environmental protection and teamwork, once again showing how much can be achieved when people work together. After the clean-up, we all went out for lunch together—a lovely way to round off the day.
