MAKING A DIFFERENCE F E ATU RE As we approach FIDI 39 Clubs plastic-fishing expedition in Amsterdam, Carina Bailey takes a look at what some Affiliates across the US, Asia and Europe are doing to protect the environment C GORDON BELL, CHAIRMAN OF ASIAN TIGERS MOBILITY The team at Asian Tigers Mobility is committed to tiger conservation aring for the environment has become so engrained at multi-award-winning Asian Tigers Mobility (ATM) that it is now an integral part of its corporate culture. In 2001, ATM became the first moving company in the world to be awarded ISO 14001 Environmental Management System Certification, a terrific achievement that recognised the companys commitment to help preserve the environment. Care for Green is its slogan and care for green it does, with its initiatives spanning recycling both for client operations and the day-to-day running of its offices reducing waste and fuel conservation. An environmental management team has been set up to look after daily processes and operational controls, while continually developing new initiatives to reduce the groups environmental impact. Today, one of its primary initiatives is the Tiger Action Fund, which seeks to preserve and protect tigers in the wild. Every time a move is handled by ATM, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) receives a donation to protect the endangered big cats. ATM also sponsors Save Chinas Tigers and, in 2008, was given the honour of naming a new tiger cub one of the few remaining South China tigers. They called it Coco, derived from the Spanish socorro or succour, meaning relief to those in distress. More recently, ATM partnered with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) to double the number of tigers in the wild by 2022. Gordon Bell, Chairman of Asian Tigers Group, explains: From lobbying governments to end illegal wildlife trade and protect tigers in the wild, to surveying wild tiger numbers in forests, and creating awareness among the wider public, ATMs contributions help WWF to drive the TX2 goal forward and help wild tiger populations rebound from the brink of extinction. ATM sends each of its customers a brochure to help raise awareness about the project and blogs about WWFs progress on its website. With the aim of working together to helpmeet double ATM corporate and the greet number of tigers in the wild, our funds support to WWF will go towards critical resources such as training for rangers, anti-poaching efforts, research and policy advocacy, and communications support, explains Bell. In the long term, these efforts will inspire collective action across the globe to protect Asias wild tigers and catalyse impactful legislative change. He adds: [Since 1998] we have contributed more than USD $500,000, which enabled IFAW to increase projects that protect tigers from poachers and preserve their shrinking habitats the two greatest threats to this highly endangered species. JK HAS MOVES OF ITS OWN US-based JK Moving Services is also ecologically minded. Not only did President and CEO Chuck Kuhn buy a plot of land to transform into a community farm (see page 66), but he also bought an 87-acre parcel of land in northern Loudoun County, called Stumptown Woods. The land has more native species of plants and wildlife indigenous to Loudoun and Virginia than is typical. WW W. F I D I. O R G FF289FebMar19 pp63-65 Environment.indd 63 63 23/01/2019 16:53