By Business & Finance 
SIRO has partnered with pollination project Biodiversity in Schools to improve environmental education in Irish primary schools writes Maureen Arnold, editorial assistant intern and reporter.
Promoting biodiversity in primary schools
“Increasing young people’s awareness of the important contribution biodiversity makes to our health and wellbeing is critical,” Mark Nolan, Director, Biodiversity in Schools.
Irish broadband company SIRO has sponsored an initiative titled “Biodiversity in Schools” which aims to increase primary school children’s understanding of the environment. The project will particularly emphasise the importance of respecting Ireland’s native flora and fauna while training children as pollinator ambassadors.
100 Irish schools are set to participate in Biodiversity in Schools in which students will broaden their understanding of Ireland’s environment through workshops and other resources. Workshops available through the programme include meadow creation and bulb planting.
Ossian Smyth, Minister of State at Department of Environment, Climate and Communications and the Circular Economy launched the project at Gaelscoil Shliabh Rua, Kilternan, Dublin. He was accompanied by John Keaney, CEO, SIRO and Ruth Mhic Adaim, Principal, Gaelscoil Shliabh Rua.
Commenting on the partnership, Mark Nolan, Director, Biodiversity in Schools noted: “We are pleased to have SIRO onboard as a sponsor for the pollinator project. Increasing young people’s awareness of the important contribution biodiversity makes to our health and wellbeing is critical.”
SIRO
Functioning as a fibre broadband operator in Ireland with nearly 500,000 premises throughout the country, SIRO is working to become more environmentally friendly. The company aims to be known as “Ireland’s most sustainable broadband provider.” They hope Biodiversity in Schools will also influence communities as a whole to become more sustainable.
In a bid to become more sustainable SIRO has begun implementing the use of electric vehicles and recently signed the UN Global Compact. This is a non-binding agreement through the United Nations that allows businesses to commit to leading a more sustainable and socially-conscious industry landscape. SIRO has also set an agreement with Science Based Targets which should increase accountability.
Biodiversity in Schools
“It is essential that older generations pass on an appreciation of the importance of Ireland’s biodiversity to the leaders of the future,” Minister Ossian Smyth.
Biodiversity in Schools is a national organisation that provides schools with educational resources and information regarding biodiversity. They start environmental education at a young age with the objective of helping children understand the world around them, regaining a sense of hope for the nation’s future. Their aim is to build a positive relationship between the children and the natural world.
“Young people will be our leaders in restoring nature in Ireland,” said minister Ossian Smyth. “This project means that students from 100 schools nationwide will work with experts and their teachers and communities to make their schools more pollinator-friendly, planting native species and contributing to a better, more biodiverse future for us all. Well done to SIRO for supporting this important work.”
Smyth noted the importance of people across generations working together to help preserve the natural world:
“It is essential that older generations pass on an appreciation of the importance of Ireland’s biodiversity to the leaders of the future. Our hope from this project is to foster young biodiversity champions in communities across Ireland encouraging them to protect and preserve our native habitats and biodiversity,” he said.
John Keaney, CEO, SIRO spoke of his pleasure in sponsoring the project and urged other Irish companies to band together and combat the issue.
“Our sponsorship of this school pollinator project makes a small contribution to this task. We are pleased to be able to contribute to the valuable work which Biodiversity in Schools have been undertaking in this area for the last ten years,” he said.
“It’s also important for Irish companies to be aware of the biodiversity crisis we are experiencing, and to help by joining us to tackle this issue together. This initiative provides the resources needed to
empower pupils with the knowledge and skills on how to help save and nurture our environment.”
“SIRO is an Irish company rolling out our fibre broadband network to communities across Ireland. As we do so, we see first-hand the importance of biodiversity in enhancing the lives and wellbeing of those communities.”
Schools who wish to participate in the project can register their details at the Biodiversity in Schools website.
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