Uganda Baati Ltd and Uganda Hockey Association on Monday renewed their partnership where by the former returns as the title sponsor of the National Hockey League.
Uganda Baati unveiled a UGX15M sponsorship package for the hockey league but the 2022 campaign will be geared towards community development & corporate sustainability.
Under a core Corporate Social Investment pillar, the environment, through the National Hockey League themed ‘Score a Tree,’ Uganda Baati and Uganda Hockey have committed to planting a tree for each goal scored throughout the course of the season.
National Forestry Authority has identified 5 hectares within Mabira Forest to which this partnership shall focus its restoration activities this year. In the future this partnership is envisioned to grow.
Ian Rumanyika who is the Head of External and Corporate Affairs at Uganda Baati said that ‘Score a Tree’ campaign is inspired by green manufacturing practiced by them. This is characterized by use fewer natural resources, reduction of pollution and waste, recycle and reuse materials and moderate emissions in their processes.
“We are focused on reducing carbon emissions and we believe this campaign will help a lot,” Rumanyika said adding that the tree planting exercise will happen at the end of the season but they will plant about One Million trees even if the goal tally doesn’t reach that figure.
Rumanyika was in the company of Uganda Baati’s Head of Marketing, Macklean Kukundakwe who said that the campaign, if executed well will help in restoration of the lost forest cover in the area. She also expressed delight in partnering with Uganda Hockey.
Uganda Hockey President, Philip Wafula says that they are grateful for the continued support of Uganda Baati to their efforts to keep developing the sport in Uganda.
“This partnerships dates back from 2018, a historic partnership whose products made history representing the country at the Africa Cup of Nations in Accra, Ghana earlier this year, we are truly grateful,” Wafula said.
According to Uganda’s National Environment Management Authority, the country has registered better forest cover in recent years, despite increasing cases of illegal logging and forest destruction by encroachers. The country’s net forest cover gain rose from 9 percent in 2017 to 13 percent in 2020.
