MEMPHIS, Tenn., June 14, 2012— Inspired by its Enchanted Forest commercial, FedEx has joined with the Arbor Day Foundation to create a virtual “Enchanted Forest” with a new Facebook application. For every virtual tree planted by Facebook users, FedEx will contribute $1 to the Arbor Day Foundation to aid replanting in areas of Texas recovering from last year’s drought and wildfires. In total, FedEx will donate up to $100,000, amounting to 100,000 trees.
In addition, FedEx Office® stores will begin selling “Bo,” the frog character from the Enchanted Forest commercial, this month. Made from 100 percent recycled materials, the plush Bo retails for $7.99 with a portion of the proceeds benefitting the Arbor Day Foundation.
“The Enchanted Forest Facebook application and the opportunity to purchase the plush Bo are fun and simple ways for FedEx team members and customers, as well as the Facebook community to join FedEx in the important work of habitat conservation,” said Mitch Jackson, staff vice president of environmental affairs and sustainability. “We are excited to extend our environmental philanthropic support to engage with the Arbor Day Foundation to help restore lost forest in Texas, especially since the printing, shipping and retail arm of our business, FedEx Office, is headquartered in Dallas.”
By spending just a few minutes of time in the FedEx Enchanted Forest, Facebook users can do their part to replenish the forests in Texas by “planting” one of the 100,000 trees it will take to restore 500 acres of forest area, helping create an output of 2,000 tons of oxygen, reduce storm run-off and protect groundwater and land around rivers, lakes and streams.
To participate, Facebook users can visit the FedEx Facebook page and click “plant a tree” on the Enchanted Forest tab. Once in the virtual forest, participants can select an image of themselves to be placed on a digital tree. After planting a tree, users can view their friends’ trees, as well as learn more about the FedEx EarthSmart initiative.
EarthSmart® is the FedEx roadmap for realizing our commitment to connecting the world responsibly and resourcefully. Through EarthSmart Outreach, a pillar of the EarthSmart program, FedEx extends its enterprise-wide sustainability commitment to team members and communities. For example, more than 500 FedEx team members have already volunteered this year for the FedEx annual EarthSmart Outreach program with the Natural Fish and Wildlife Foundation, resulting in the planting of 790 trees and 4,116 plants as well as the removal of approximately 740 pounds of trash from our environment. EarthSmart events have taken place in Philadelphia, Dallas, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Washington, D.C., Newark, N.J., Seattle, Colorado Springs, Colo., Los Angeles and Memphis, Tenn. since April, with more to follow as the year progresses. Through EarthSmart Outreach, FedEx makes philanthropic investments to create sustainable transportation solutions in the developing world, preserve valuable urban and endangered ecosystems and identify new ways to balance access to trade with responsible environmental stewardship.
About FedEx Corp.
FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenues of $42 billion, the company offers integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world’s most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 300,000 team members to remain “absolutely, positively” focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. For more information, visit news.fedex.com.
About the Arbor Day Foundation
The Arbor Day Foundation is a nonprofit conservation and education organization of one million members, with the mission to inspire people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees. More information on the Foundation and its programs can be found at arborday.org, or by visiting us on Facebook, Twitter or our blog.