Mapletree Donates S$50,000 Through 250 Trees to SUTD
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Mapletree's third tree-planting collaboration with an Institute of Higher Learning (IHL) saw the highest number of participants to date.
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Brings the total number of trees planted by Mapletree across its assets and the communities it operates in globally to more than 20,000.
Mapletree Investments (“Mapletree” or “the Group”) is making its stand for a better world by donating S$50,000 through 250 trees to the Singapore University of Technology and Design (“SUTD”). The joint tree planting event, Trees for a Better World: Plant a Tree with Mapletree @ SUTD, which had close to 300 participants, was graced by Mr Tan Kiat How, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Communications and Information & Ministry of National Development and Ms Jessica Tan, Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore.
The donation comes as part of Mapletree’s ongoing sustainability efforts to attain net zero by 2050 through carbon emissions reduction measures. This is the highest number of trees that Mapletree has donated to any Singapore IHL. In November 2023, Mapletree collaborated with Temasek Polytechnic and Nanyang Polytechnic to plant a total of 100 trees across both campuses. To date, Mapletree has planted more than 20,000 trees, and is expected to plant another 10,000 by the end of Financial Year 2024/2025 to reach one-third of its 100,000 trees target by 2030.
SMS Tan said: “I am heartened by the SUTD community and Mapletree’s efforts to create a green and sustainable campus experience. I am hopeful that this will be the first of many more steps taken towards cultivating a more sustainability-minded community both within the campus and beyond.”
Mr Edmund Cheng, Chairman, Mapletree, said: “We are proud to deepen our commitment to sustainability through our collaboration with SUTD. Through this donation, we hope to encourage the students at SUTD to develop a sense of environmental stewardship. We hope that they will be inspired to tap on their design knowledge and learnings to develop a greener future for Singapore and the world.”
"We are thrilled to be a part of Mapletree’s Trees for A Better World at our campus today. These 250 trees – the highest number of trees ever donated to an IHL in Singapore – is our largest campus sustainability effort to date. These trees have been specially selected for their ability to provide organic shade. This initiative reflects SUTD’s commitment towards creating a greener, and more sustainable campus, aligning with our broader efforts to promote environmental stewardship and create a better tomorrow for all,” said Professor Chong Tow Chong, President of SUTD.
Besides understanding better if the organic shade provided by the trees will achieve any thermal comfort improvement, SUTD is also mounting a multi-year study to see if the chosen tree and shrub species will increase the biodiversity at its campus.
Last month, Mapletree showcased two repurposed timber benches at Mapletree Business City. The event marked the culmination of a successful collaboration with 31 students from SUTD who had transformed salvaged materials for this project. The benches were the result of timber planks harvested when Mapletree re-decked the Sky Park of VivoCity in 2016, following Mapletree’s support of S$102,000 to SUTD.
Participants from SUTD and Mapletree who attended the joint tree planting initiative on 3 April 2024.
(From left) Ms Giselia Giam, VP Admin and Chief Financial Officer, SUTD; Ms Deborah Lee, Board of Trustees, SUTD, Mr Wan Kwong Weng, Group Chief Corporate Officer, Mapletree; Professor Phoon Kok Kwang, President-Designate and Provost, SUTD; Mr Tarun Kataria, Chairman and Independent Member of Investment Committee, Mapletree US & EU Logistics Private Trust; Mr Tan Kiat How, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Communications and Information & Ministry for National Development, MP for East Coast GRC; Ms Jessica Tan, Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore and Advisor to East Coast GRC Grassroots Organisations; Professor Chong Tow Chong, President, SUTD; Professor Tai Lee Siang, Deputy President-Designate, SUTD and Head of Pillar, ASD; Professor Erwin Viray, Chief Sustainability Officer, SUTD; Ms Corinna Choong, Senior Director, Sustainability Centre, SUTD.
Mr Tarun Kataria, Chairman and Independent Member of Investment Committee, Mapletree US & EU Logistics Private Trust presenting a token of appreciation to Mr Tan Kiat How, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Communications and Information & Ministry for National Development, MP for East Coast GRC.
Mr Tarun Kataria, Chairman and Independent Member of Investment Committee, Mapletree US & EU Logistics Private Trust presenting a token of appreciation to Ms Jessica Tan, Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore and Adviser to East Coast GRC Grassroots Organisations.
(From left) Ms Giselia Giam, VP Admin and Chief Financial Officer, SUTD; Professor Chong Tow Chong, President, SUTD; Ms Corinna Choong, Senior Director, Sustainability Centre, SUTD; Mr Tarun Kataria, Chairman and Independent Member of Investment Committee, Mapletree US & EU Logistics Private Trust; Mr Tan Kiat How, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Communications and Information & Ministry for National Development, MP for East Coast GRC and Professor Tai Lee Siang, Deputy President-Designate, SUTD and Head of Pillar, ASD, watering the newly planted tree at SUTD.
(From left) Mr Wan Kwong Weng, Group Chief Corporate Officer, Mapletree; Professor Phoon Kok Kwang, President-Designate and Provost, SUTD; Ms Jessica Tan, Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore and Adviser to East Coast GRC Grassroots Organisations; Professor Erwin Viray, Chief Sustainability Officer, SUTD; and Ms Deborah Lee, Board of Trustees, SUTD, watering the newly planted tree at SUTD.
Photo credits: Mapletree Investments