BAT tackles trash dumping with flower gardens

BAT Rothmans, the Korean unit of British America Tobacco, said Tuesday it started a flower planting campaign dubbed “Kkot BAT,” with the aim to save alleys from litter and cigarette butts.

“Kkot,” meaning “flower,” and “BAT," meaning “plot” in Korean, this new campaign lays lively flower pots or flower beds in neighborhoods suffering from littering and illegal waste disposal.

Acknowledging the roles of citizens in this campaign, BAT Rothmans has secured partnerships with non-governmental organization that has close relationships with local communities.

“Our Kkot BAT campaign is a meaningful campaign in which companies join hands with the local community for environmental solutions,” said Kim Eun-ji, the Country Manager of BAT Rothmans. “We will continue to give positive influence on neighborhoods with environmental, social and corporate governance efforts.”

In June, the tobacco manufacturer signed a memorandum of understanding with the Korean National Council for Conservation of Nature Seoul branch, followed by their first flower garden campaign near BAT Rothmans headquarters in Jung-gu, Seoul.

With the support of a community service center, the company cleaned and planted five flower beds in Gwanghui-dong, a neighborhood that frequently became the center of trash dumping issues.

“The Kkot BAT campaign definitely changed the atmosphere of our neighborhood while improving the residential environment, even more efficiently than imposing fines,” said the head of Gwanghui-dong village.

The back alley, once strewn with cigarette butts, is now grown to a vivid flower garden.

Following its first campaign, BAT Rothmans will plant about 20 flower gardens all over Seoul, even ramping up its influence to Gwanak-gu, Dobong-gu, and Nowon-gu by the end of this year.