Bangkok--20 Jul--The Treedom Group
Andrew Steel, CEO of The Treedom Group, recently became an Honorary Graduate at the University of Hull when a Doctor of Science (honaris causa) was presented to him by the University Chancellor Rt. Hon Baroness Bottomley of Nettlestone.
This was made in recognition of Andrew’s environmental and charitable work with the Plant-A-Tree-Today (PATT) Foundation which has committed to planting one million trees a year in tropical areas and is helping communities that are reliant on the sustainability of forest ecosystems.
Andrew was humbled to receive this Doctorate and expressed his gratitude to the University of Hull for this prestigious honour. In his acceptance speech he stated “I am very proud to be standing here today, I grew up here in Hull and receiving this award today is one of the pinnacles of my career. As the Chancellor of this University, Baroness Bottomley, is well aware from her political career, when recognition and success come from your deeply held beliefs then this is indeed a great reward. Today the University of Hull is recognising the strides that I have been able to make in environmental attitudes and social change with the PATT Foundation and other businesses in Asia which is wonderful. But do not worry I will not be resting on any laurels. The environmental progress we have been making over the past six years only scratches the surface of what we hope to achieve in the future”.
Although now based in Thailand, Dr. Andrew Steel was born and raised in Hull and has maintained a long relationship with the city. Last year he participated in the Humber Business Week’s drive to help local businesses play a greater role in Green City Hull initiative with renewable energy and a green economy focus. The PATT Foundation enables companies and individuals in the UK to drive forest restoration projects in Thailand, India and Indonesia by offsetting carbon or by planting trees.
The ethos of PATT runs through all the businesses within The Treedom Group that Dr. Steel has built up in Asia, and it is intended that the latest venture will supply a permanent funding stream to the PATT reforestation initiatives. The group has launched a sustainable agro-forestryinvestment fund, Asia Renewable Resources Fund, that allows sophisticated international investors and large corporations to invest in profit making sustainable natural resource projects, with an opt in to share a percentage of their profits with the PATT charity.
Dr. Andrew Steel commented "The green economy is one that is set to be a key feature in the years to come. More businesses are becoming aware of the role they can play in tackling global issues such as climate change. As a green entrepreneur I can be of use in both generating new business and creating more sustainable ways of working”.
About PATT Foundation
Plant a Tree Today (PATT) Foundation was founded in 2005 and is a UK Registered Charity and Thai Foundation with operational offices in Bangkok, Thailand and Indonesia, and representatives in Malaysia, India and South Africa. PATT works to raise awareness of global environmental issues, campaign for better environmental practices and take action against deforestation and climate change by planting trees. In 2009 PATT was the winner of the United Nations SEED Award for Entrepreneurship in Sustainable Environmental and Social Development. http://www.pattfoundation.org
About the Asian Renewable Resources Fund
The Asia Renewable Resources Fund is an open ended Luxembourg regulated and domiciled fund (KMG SICAV-SIF) which aims to achieve long term capital growth through investment in high value forestry assets and land opportunities. The auditor of this fund is Deloitte SA and the Asset Class is Renewable Resources, primarily forestry. The Fund offers institutional and ‘well informed’ investors a portfolio of diversified forestry assets generating returns via renewable commodities, the sustainable management of which protects the interests of fund, investors, local communities and the environment. Further information is available at www.treedom.biz .
Marketing Department, The Treedom Group,
Worravit Chantaraviroj, Marketing Manager at The Treedom Group
Office: +66 (0) 2 259 6455 | email
[email protected]