In celebration of World Environment Day and World Oceans Day in June, we united with our partners and communities through our Purpose to host fun excursions for kids at uShaka Marine World in Durban and the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town.

June is a significant month in the South African calendar, marking World Environment Day on the 5th and World Oceans Day on the 8th. 

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  • World Environment Day focused on Land Restoration, Desertification and Drought Resilience. 
  • World Oceans Day highlighted Planet Ocean: Tides are Changing. 

Both causes look at the future of our oceans and land as resources for all life forms, aiming to uncover the hidden facets of planet Earth and create a surge of enthusiasm for preserving and safeguarding the ocean and planet. 

To celebrate these days and what they mean to South Africa, we joined forces with our partners and communities to highlight our Purpose. At uShaka Marine World and the Two Oceans Aquarium, we hosted fun, educational excursions for children from KwaMashu Family & Child Welfare Society and Greenlands Primary School. 

The events raised awareness of South Africa’s biodiversity-rich marine ecosystems for the benefit of the next generation of eco-conscious leaders.

Collaborating for a better shared future

The Sustainability, Foundation and Regional teams in KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape collaborated on this initiative. By introducing environmental awareness and literacy into Vodacom’s Education Ecosystem and Sustainability programmes, we are embedding our Purpose of connecting for a better future. 

Vodacom aims to understand and manage how our infrastructure and value chain activities impact biodiversity, and we support biodiversity programmes through technology. Since 2010, the Vodacom Sustainability team has supported the World Wide Fund for Nature South Africa (WWF-SA).

Our partnership was solidified in 2020 when we committed to the Sustainable Seafood Initiative. During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, WWF stepped in to share virtual experiences and expert talks with our employees, helping us stay connected with nature. 

Our partnership with WWF has now evolved, with Vodacom supporting a broader marine protection ecosystem made up of five pillars. Our World Environment Day and World Oceans Day initiative formed part of the education and awareness pillar, sharing knowledge about the importance of protecting marine life. 

The five pillars of the marine protection ecosystem

  • Digital solutions (EWS & SASSI)
  • Communities (job creation and partners)
  • Governance (MPA)
  • Elimination of plastics
  • Education and awareness (schools)