"Stopping Illegal Cigarette Butt Disposal"... Why a Tobacco Company Is Creating Flower Beds in Alleyways

Creating Flower Beds to Eliminate Illegal Cigarette Butt Disposal
Goal to Establish a Total of 40 Flower Beds Within the Year

Global tobacco company BAT Rothmans is actively engaging in ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) activities, such as creating flower beds and gardens in areas where illegal dumping of trash and cigarette butts occurs.

BAT Rothmans employees are participating in the 'FlowerBAT (Kkotbat) Campaign,' creating flower beds and gardens in areas where garbage and cigarette butts are illegally discarded.
[Photo by BAT Rothmans]

In May, BAT Rothmans conducted the 'KkotBAT (Flower Bed) Campaign.' The flower bed campaign is a representative ESG activity of BAT Rothmans that involves creating flower beds and gardens in areas with illegal dumping of trash and cigarette butts, marking its second year this year. The purpose is to reduce indiscriminate littering of trash and cigarette butts and to improve the urban landscape through the creation of flower beds.

The flower bed campaign held in May took place in four areas: Euljiro, Myeongdong, Heungin-dong, and others. These locations were selected in collaboration with the Jung-gu Office of Seoul due to numerous complaints about illegal dumping of trash and cigarette butts. About 80 employees participated in the campaign, removing cigarette butts and trash while also cleaning the surrounding alleys to ensure rainwater could flow without obstruction. Afterwards, they removed weeds and planted azaleas, portulacas, and boxwoods to enliven the alleys.

So far, a total of 25 flower beds have been created, and BAT Rothmans plans to establish a total of 40 flower beds in cooperation with local governments by the end of this year. A BAT Rothmans representative stated, “As the rainy season approaches and the issue of illegal cigarette butt dumping arises, we are conducting the flower bed campaign to fulfill our social responsibility as a global tobacco manufacturing and sales company. We will continue to do our best to raise public awareness of environmental issues and create a pleasant community through KkotBAT.”