This year we embarked on a major environmental sponsorship with Project Crimson. As the story below shows, Meridian staff really got behind the project and its goal of preserving our iconic tree species, the rata and pohutukawa.

Meridian Employees Get Stuck In

Meridian employees put their muscle behind shovels on 13 July 2007 in support of Project Crimson, the Company's major environmental sponsorship. Five hundred northern rata trees were planted in Brooklyn in support of the Project Crimson initiative that has seen Wellington's indigenous tree - the rata – return to prominence in Wellington.

Donning gardening gloves and gumboots, over thirty employees worked with council staff to restore the Bell Road reserve with New Zealand's stunning crimson flowering natives in a project that will be continued in the coming years.

"Meridian is delighted to play a role in preserving such an important part of Wellington's native flora," says Keith Turner.

"While it's one thing to make a financial contribution to an organisation like Project Crimson it's quite another for staff to get involved in a ‘hands-on' way and make a practical contribution as well."

"Meridian is not content with just providing commercial support to Project Crimson, but wants to have its people physically involved in the business of protecting New Zealand's natural resources. It's great for the employees and it sets a great example for other organisations in the commercial sector that are interested in protecting the environment."

Meridian took over principal sponsorship of Project Crimson in October 2006.