Sika encourages employees to make a contribution through a social or ecological commitment. For the fifth year in a row, the Sika Technology team took part in a "Corporate Volunteering Day”, held on August 7, 2019. The main focus of the day was to collect waste caused by littering in the city of Zurich, Switzerland, and to preserve important habitats for plants and animal species.

Littering - Waste Disposal

The volunteering group started the day with a visit to a local sewage treatment plant, gaining a valuable insight into what it takes to dispose of waste in a city like Zurich.

Between 150,000 and 500,000 cubic meters of wastewater are cleaned every day at the plant. All solid and dissolved contaminants from the waste water are removed, and the residues ecologically and sensibly recycled, protecting the natural water cycle.  After this visit, the group moved on to begin the litter clean up. The team was split into various groups, collecting litter from public areas, particularly along the river Limmat. Afterwards, the Sika team sorted the litter into recyclables and waste.

The activity was held in cooperation with “IGSU”, an Interest Group for a Clean Environment in Switzerland, in order to contribute to the campaign against littering and to gain insights into the recycling industry.  

Preservation - Maintenance of Biodiverse Ecosystem

The public space “Allmend Stettbach” is located at the north-eastern boundary of the city of Zürich, and was created from the excavated material produced in connection with the construction of a nearby tunnel. From 1989, this land was transformed into a habitat for 157 different plant species.

Maintenance is important to protect this particular ecosystem. During the volunteering day, the Sika team removed proliferating plants and trees, and collected litter. The work has been an important contribution to preserving this rare ecosystem with its wild populations of plants and animals, including endangered species. The activity was guided by professionals from the WWF, an NGO committed to maintaining global biodiversity.

Sika employees' deployment in urban areas and urban ecosystems help maintain the quality of urban life and the habitat for countless animals and plants.