Commerzbank is one of the main sponsors of the nonprofit "Bergwaldprojekt e.V." (mountain forest project). The cooperation started in October 2018: For every switch to an electronic mailbox in online banking, Commerzbank plants one square meter of forest in Germany by passing on the cost savings for paper, printing and sending documents to the "Bergwaldprojekt". By the end of 2019, 670,000 square meters of new forest were created this way. Thus, the bank and its customers jointly save natural resources, reduce harmful CO2 emissions and support the stock of German forests.
The cooperation has been continued with various measures since 2020. Various campaigns by our asset management unit have played a key role in achieving the impressive reforestation area of over 1.1 million square meters of public forest at what is now 37 locations in Germany as of November 2022. In 2022, for example, we will support the reforestation of at least 25 square meters of public forest in Germany for every customer who makes a sustainable investment with our asset management service.
“Bergwaldprojekt” was established in 1987 in the wake of the debate about forest dieback and is active not only in Germany but also in Switzerland, Austria, Spain and Ukraine. The purpose of the association is the protection, preservation and care of forests, as well as fostering understanding for the interrelations between nature, forest issues and humanity’s dependence on these as a basis of existence. “Bergwaldprojekt” works with volunteers in forests, moors and open-land biotopes in different locations in Germany.
