The Trustonic Treekly challenge: Walking our way to a healthier team and a healthier planet

The World Health Organisation has listed sedentary living as the fourth largest mortality factor, leading to approximately 3.2 million deaths annually. So, when Trustonic’s EA and Office Manager, Pippa Williams heard about an app that not only promises to get people moving but also allows you to plant trees in the process, she was keen to get the team on board.

Launched as a COVID-19 start-up, Treekly empowers individuals and businesses alike to take action – one step at a time – by encouraging users to walk 5,000 steps daily in order to earn a tree. Supporting healthier lifestyles while funding reforestation, the project focusses specifically on mangrove forests, which can be found in Madagascar, Indonesia, Mozambique, Kenya, Brazil, or Haiti.

In support of Earth Day 2024, 50 members of the Trustonic team signed up to the challenge and pledged their time to start “turning footsteps into forests”.

Each time a member of the team successfully completed the 5000 daily step goal, Treekly rewarded the team with a new virtual tree for our forest, which the Eden Reforestation project would then plant in real life across one of six key worldwide locations.

Overall, the team’s goal was to collectively walk at least 12,500,000 steps throughout the 45 days designated in February and March, to plant as many trees as we could for Kenya’s Mteza Creek region. As one of the lesser developed areas of Kenya, the mangrove ecosystems we were contributing to would also help the local economy, providing fair-paid employment and nutrition.

By the end of February, the 50 Trustonic team members had collectively managed 7,750,000 steps, equating to an 1550 new mangrove trees.

By the end of the challenge in March, the team exceeded the set target and collectively walked over 12,413,414 steps. That’s 913,414 steps more than the original goal and, more importantly, adds a further 1608 young trees to Trustonic’s total contribution.

Well on our way to planting a  small forest, the trees planted through the Trustonic Treekly challenge will have absorbed an estimated 821 tonnes of CO2 – the same as 733 UK to New York flights – by 2050.

Not only this, but our trees will enable the creation of sustainable local fishing grounds, allowing locals to live a fairer and more fruitful life. What’s more, as more trees are planted, the better the tropical storm defence in the area – helping to save wildlife and habitats as they simultaneously protect human homes, jobs and lives.

Pippa Williams, EA and Office Manager for Trustonic confirmed: “I’m extremely proud of all team members who supported this challenge, particularly as our efforts have also resulted in 25 days’ worth of fair wages and employment.

Treekly’s core mission of supporting all 13 of the UN’s sustainability goals is something we should all be part of and is certainly something Trustonic will be working more towards in the future – starting with our water challenge this October!

Finally, a big thank you to the Trustonic management team who also pledged a further £1500 to three charities of our choice.”