Nickel Asia to hold first-ever sustainability fun run to benefit mangrove restoration

NAC Sustainability Run

Nickel Asia Corporation is set to hold its inaugural sustainability fun run on July 23, doing it simultaneously at three locations nationwide.

The Sustainability Run will take place at SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City, as well as in Balayong People's Park in Puerto Princesa and at the City Hall Grounds of Surigao City.

NAC Senior Vice President for Sustainability, Risk Management, Corporate Affairs, and Communications Jose Baylon shares, "NAC's first-ever fun run puts premium on the importance of collaboration towards a sustainable future. We are the first company with interests in mining to stage an event such as this, and we are proud to trailblaze such initiatives."

He adds, "We are aiming to attract 3,500 finishers, and for each one, we are committing to plant 15 mangrove trees in support of the mangrove rehabilitation in Hagonoy, Bulacan. This is outside and in addition to our Group's mandatory rehabilitation and reforestation programs."

The move will help address the consistent flooding taking place in the community, as well as support the livelihood of fisherfolk, as ninety percent of its residents are dependent on fishing.

Serving to assist NAC in utilizing those proceeds for mangrove restoration is a non-government organization Fostering Education and Environment for Development (FEED). The project will help fulfill FEED's five-year plan of growing at least 100,000 mangroves within a roughly ten-hectare portion of Hagonoy. They already have reached about a fourth of that total as of June though the support of private donors, with NAC looking at targeting between 15,000 and 50,000 through TSR.

In the process, NAC would be able to meet objectives found within its ESG roadmap: 

• Being able to promote good health and well-being of not only its employees, but also of other stakeholders, including the general public
• Ensuring Net-Zero Carbon and Biodiversity Protection
• Spreading awareness and elicit stakeholder participation in NAC's journey towards sustainability.

Runners can choose their distance, between 3k, 5k, 10k, and 21k. They would also be eligible to partake of the raffle, which includes a couple of e-bikes from Popcycle, sustainable running shoes from Asics, and 32-ounce Aquaflask bottles.

NAC President and CEO Martin Antonio Zamora says about The Sustainability Run, "Through this event, we want to deepen our relationship with our stakeholders. Our commitment to environmental protection, safety, and health is something we take to heart. Our aim is not only to embed environmental stewardship into our culture and our workforce, but also to educate our stakeholders about responsible mining and sustainability."

The run is a part of NAC's activities for its 15th anniversary, which a theme entitled "Sustainable Together, Sustainable Forever" has been established to celebrate its milestones and accomplishments.