Members’ corner BP 142
Business Partners, Jan-Feb, 2026

Apivita and Universidad del Rosario: The Billion Bees Program in Colombia

Building on the success of its Billion Bees Program in Greece and ten countries across Europe, renowned natural beauty company Apivita has announced a new collaboration with the Food Security and Pollinators’ Protection Program (FSP-UR) at Universidad del Rosario, in Bogotá, Colombia. The collaboration aims to support the regeneration of bee populations in Colombia, as well as to educate young people about the importance of bees for people and the planet.

FSP-UR has spent nearly a decade combining cutting-edge research with community outreach to safeguard both managed and wild pollinators. Engaging diverse stakeholders—including corporate partners, beekeepers, farmers, researchers, and students—the program promotes sustainable practices that strengthen pollinator health, crop productivity, and global food security and advances research on protecting bees from the harmful effects of pesticide exposure.

Through their Billion Bees Program partnership, Apivita and FSP-UR, who are both proud participants in the 1% for the Planet organization, are cultivating innovative solutions, inspiring environmental education, and reinforcing food security through the power of pollinators. The collaboration’s goals include the adoption and maintenance of at least five bee colonies in urban environments to support local pollinator populations; the advancement of research on protecting bees against the negative impacts of pesticides; and the launch of the Aquí Vive Un Polinizador! (Here Lives a Pollinator!) awareness campaign in Bogotá high schools.

The Billion Bees Program is an initiative run within the Apivita and 1% for the Planet collaboration and is dedicated to the regeneration of honeybee populations worldwide and to educating the public, and especially young people, about the importance of bees for life and biodiversity. With projects in 12 countries around the world, the program is funded exclusively by 1% of global sales from iconic Apivita product ranges and is that are donated to partnered environmental nonprofits.

Aegean’s Santa Crew Brings Holiday Cheer to Schools in Greece’s Remote Regions 

In December 2025, the Aegean Santa Crew, an Aegean employee volunteer group, treated school children in some of Greece’s most remote regions to a selection of fun and festive experiences. Volunteers and crew members of Aegean and Olympic Air flew to Alexandroupoli, in the northeastern region of Evros, and to the islands of Limnos, Kos, Samos, and Kythira, delivering gifts, holiday cheer, and supplies for making creative upcycled decorations to local primary schools in these areas. The visits were marked with plenty of enthusiasm and featured carolling and seasonal treats. Aegean Santa Crew handed out gifts, while in partnership with the We4all nonprofit, the volunteers joined students in creating festive decorations out of reusable and natural materials, filling classrooms and schoolyards with creativity, joy, and festive spirit. Aegean further addresses the specific needs of each school by facilitating the provision of technological equipment and educational materials, making a meaningful contribution to the improvement of students’ daily school experience.

“It is always meaningful for Aegean to engage with children, especially in remote regions of Greece where access to similar initiatives is more limited. The positive response from students and teachers was highly encouraging and a source of great satisfaction for all involved, while our volunteers, once again, played a crucial role in the successful implementation of this initiative. Through their commitment, consistency and dedication, the Aegean Santa Crew continues to expand, evolve and further strengthen its impact,” said Marina Valvi, Aegean’s Director of Corporate Affairs and Communications. “Since its establishment, Aegean has consistently supported local communities by implementing initiatives that promote education, environmental protection, culture, and the overall wellbeing of the younger generation.”

PPC Group Becomes Founding Member of the UN Global Compact’s Coalition for Sustainable Procurement 

PPC, Southeast Europe’s leading powertech group, is participating as one of fifteen founding members in the international Coalition for Sustainable Procurement, launched by the UN Global Compact to elevate procurement as a central lever for advancing sustainable business and driving business value and competitiveness. The groundbreaking initiative brings together companies committed to embedding sustainability across their procurement practices — ensuring that supply chains are not only more efficient, but also more equitable, inclusive and resilient. PPC’s participation as a founding member confirms the Group’s steady commitment to shaping unified, internationally recognized sustainability standards in corporate procurement.

The United Nations Global Compact is the world’s largest corporate responsibility initiative, bringing together more than 20,000 companies and organizations from 160 countries and promoting a common international culture of responsible business conduct and transparency. Within this framework, the Coalition for Sustainable Procurement was created to support companies of all sizes in the transition toward more sustainable, resilient, and responsible supply chains, leading alignment and harmonization in sustainable procurement and enabling systems change across industries.

Through the Coalition for Sustainable Procurement, PPC Group contributes to the integration of the UN Global Compact Principles across the full spectrum of its transactions, promotes transparent and responsible engagement with the supplier ecosystem, aligns with modern international and European sustainability standards, and develops practices that enhance the overall resilience of the value chain.

PPC Group’s participation in this new international initiative constitutes another step within its strategy to integrate sustainable development principles across all operations and partnerships.