On the occasion of the annual commitment by SEAT to biodiversity preservation, company employees planted 414 trees and set up nest boxes for the protection of birds in the Llobregat Delta. The initiative is framed within the biodiversity preservation project in the Llobregat Delta Natural Park, a location which is close to two of SEAT’s production plants – SEAT Barcelona and SEAT Componentes.
Since 2010, SEAT has reduced its environmental footprint in production by 34% with measures to emit less CO2 and waste, fewer volatile compounds, and use less water and energy. In addition to lowering its environmental impact, SEAT supports biodiversity projects that have a positive impact on its immediate surroundings. The 414 trees planted on this occasion are also a nod to the production figure of 414,000 cars manufactured in the first eight months of the year.
In this sense, SEAT Vice-president for Production and Logistics Dr. Christian Vollmer, who spearheaded the project, emphasised that “our goal is to be a benchmark carmaker in every aspect, especially in sustainability. We have already reduced by over one third our production environmental footprint and we want to achieve a zero-impact production by 2050. Protecting biodiversity in the area surrounding where we operate is a further step in our environmental commitment.”
The 414 trees were planted in an area of 2.5 hectares. It is a space considered a special protection zone for birds and located in one of the migratory routes of birds in the Mediterranean, which makes it an area of great environmental interest for the conservation of diversity, integrated into the Network Natura 2000.
Thirty Production executives and SEAT’s Environment team planted the trees, in collaboration with the company Sylvestris, which employs people at risk of social inclusion in Viladecans, in an additional commitment of SEAT with its surroundings and the society. The ceremony was attended by Viladecans mayor Carles Ruiz Novella and Llobregat Delta Natural Park manager María José Albaladejo, among other authorities. Other participants included the Rubricatus Foundation, a non-profit organisation in El Prat de Llobregat which engages in promoting and encouraging the effective social integration of people with disabilities.
Committed to biodiversity and the environment
SEAT’s ambitious environmental strategy for 2025 is aligned with the company and the Volkswagen Group’s commitment to reaching the environmental goals set out in the Paris Agreements. In line with this aim, SEAT is working on establishing measures to obtain a CO2-neutral balance along the entire value chain of its vehicles and in every company division by 2050.
One example of the initiatives being carried out is the installation of the largest solar power plant in the European automotive industry, which features 53,000 photovoltaic panels that generate 17 million KWh annually. This year, SEAT is paying special attention to reducing waste, with initiatives such as optimising separation to enable enhanced recycling and reusing of production waste, or transforming the waste generated at different stages of the production process, such as paint and filler sludge. SEAT is also reducing the plastic packaging in the components delivered to the production lines.
