Yanbu’ cleanup aligned with vision to be a role model

The ancient port city of Yanbu’ is known for its seaside and its industry, and the two have come together with Aramco volunteers taking part in an annual beach cleanup and vegetation planting campaign.

The “Pearl of the Red Sea” benefitted from the litter collection and the planting of 200 trees and plants at Aramco’s White Sand Beach as part of the environmental initiative. Two presentations on sea life protection and organic agriculture were also delivered.

The 2020 Yanbu’ Refinery Beach Cleanup and Plantation Campaign was sponsored by the Yanbu’ Refinery manager, Abdulatif S. Al-Shami, and attended by management and employees from the refinery, as well as members of the Loss Prevention Department, Environment Protection, the Community Services Department, and the Royal Commission Hospital.

“This is aligned with our 2022 vision to become a role model supplier of high-quality refined products while maintaining the highest safety and environmental standards,” Al-Shami said.

“We hope this will propel other refineries to follow in our footsteps and implement community-based initiatives such as this one to increase awareness about the environment and reduce its indirect carbon footprint.”

The campaign is in line with the company’s goal of nurturing the Kingdom’s biodiversity by planting 1 million native trees to preserve the environment and promote ecological balance.

As part of the campaign, participants had his or her name on the vegetation they planted. Around 70% of the volunteers were under the age of 30 — part of the generation that will benefit most from the plantings.

The refinery’s shores are home to the UNESCO nominated Red Sea mangroves, which are known for their carbon capture mechanism.

The Yanbu’ Refinery has received the prestigious President’s Award for Environmental Excellence four times in the past as a result of its environmental stewardship.