Projects will focus on building climate resiliency among urban and rural forest ecosystems in nine countries affected by natural disasters

Over the next two years, MetLife Foundation will support Arbor Day Foundation planting projects in forests and communities of greatest need in Europe. Beginning in 2023, over 100,000 trees will be planted across the Czech Republic, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom. The partnership aims to increase the resiliency of these areas to the effects of climate change.

“The climate crisis is a shared global problem, one that’s going to take a strategic, collective effort to solve,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “The world needs trees now more than ever, and organizations like MetLife Foundation are stepping up alongside other sustainability leaders in the public and private sector to turn conversations into meaningful action.”

For the past 50 years, the Arbor Day Foundation has helped to plant nearly 500 million trees in forests and communities around the world. Through a global network of partnerships, the Arbor Day Foundation facilitates projects that empower organizations of all sizes to reach their sustainability goals via measurable, impactful work through trees and forests. The Foundation recently announced an initiative to plant 500 million trees by June 2027 in forests and communities that need them most.

Since 2017, MetLife Foundation has worked with the Arbor Day Foundation on a variety of tree stewardship projects, including reforestation efforts in national and state forests, community tree distribution campaigns, and urban planting events that engage MetLife volunteers around the world. This work has been guided by the principles laid out through the MetLife Foundation’s 10-year, $10 million commitment to environmental causes and is aligned to its resilient communities portfolio, which provides support for projects that positively impact environmental causes. To date, MetLife Foundation has supported efforts to plant and distribute nearly 450,000 trees alongside the Arbor Day Foundation.

“In addition to providing a natural solution for many universal issues, planting trees is one of the best ways to increase environmental stewardship among a global community,” said Nuria Garcia, regional president, MetLife EMEA and MetLife Foundation board member. “Protecting our most vulnerable communities and providing them with the tools they need to persevere through disaster is at the core of what we’ve been doing as an organization for more than 150 years. Our ongoing approach towards climate action and sustainability includes a comprehensive agenda of environmental, health, and safety considerations that serve as our guiding principles in operating as a responsible corporate citizen.”

For more information on MetLife’s and MetLife Foundation’s commitment to sustainability, visit MetLife’s 2021 Sustainability Report and 2030 DEI Commitments.

About the Arbor Day Foundation

Founded in 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation is the world’s largest membership nonprofit organization dedicated to planting trees. With a focus in communities and forests of greatest need, the Foundation — alongside its more than 1 million members, supporters and valued partners — has helped to plant nearly 500 million trees in more than 50 countries. Guided by its mission to inspire people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees, the Arbor Day Foundation is committed to unlocking the power of trees to help solve critical issues facing people and the planet. Learn more about the impact of the Arbor Day Foundation at arborday.org.

About MetLife Foundation

At MetLife Foundation, we are committed to driving inclusive economic mobility for underserved and underrepresented communities around the world. We collaborate with nonprofit organizations and provide grants aligned to three strategic focus areas – economic inclusion, financial health and resilient communities – while engaging MetLife employee volunteers to help drive impact. MetLife Foundation was established in 1976 to continue MetLife’s long tradition of corporate contributions and community involvement. Since 1976, MetLife Foundation has contributed over $900 million to strengthen communities where MetLife has a presence.

To learn more about MetLife Foundation, visit www.metLife.org.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230228005449/en/