Local lender Banca Comercială Română (BCR) and Foundation Conservation Carpathia signed a five-year strategic partnership aimed at supporting the development of communities in the Făgăraș Mountains area through environmental and financial education projects. 

Foundation Conservation Carpathia is the largest private forest conservation project in Europe, helping to restore the natural ecosystems of the Carpathian Mountains for the benefit of biodiversity and local communities. It contributes to the well-being of the communities surrounding the protected forests through social, educational and green business development projects, and its long-term vision is the creation of the Făgăraș Mountains National Park.

Through the newly signed partnership, BCR said it backs the operation of Conservation Carpathia's Richita Activity and Nature Exploration Center, facilitating children's access to the programs held here. The center, located in the heart of the forests, was opened in 2021 and helps children to discover nature. Its permanent employees and specially trained nature educators also come from the communities around the Făgăraș Mountains. 

So far, approximately 1,000 children have benefited from the educational programs held in the Richita Activity and Nature Exploration Center.

At the same time, BCR will also extend its Money School program to Argeș county, thus contributing to improving the financial knowledge of the communities around the Făgăraș Mountains.

Moreover, BCR also joins Foundation Conservation Carpathia's efforts to preserve and create the largest national park covered with forests in the Făgăraș Mountains by adding a special donation button to its George digital banking platform. Thus, those using the platform can contribute to the foundation's conservation efforts, ecological reconstruction and community projects.

"Education is the first and one of the most important steps we can take for nature. Although it seems natural and simple, we need a guide to understand the importance of nature, to know it and to get closer to it. Through the education programs developed by Foundation Conservation Carpathia, we help the children around the Făgăraș Mountains to become ambassadors for nature, and we also lay the foundations for a sustainable development model for future generations. […] We are happy to have a reliable partner by our side, and we hope to identify the solutions to develop a new nature education center in the Făgăraș Mountains area," said Ioana Duică, Education Program Specialist, Foundation Conservation Carpathia.

Banca Comercială Română also wants to support the non-profit in the construction of the second educational center in the Făgăraș Mountains area. Thus, the company's team specialized in financing programs will try to identify and access financial grants from national and international programs.

In parallel, the bank's CSR and digital banking teams will initiate fundraising campaigns among BCR clients.

The collaboration between Banca Comercială Română and Foundation Conservation Carpathia will last for at least five years.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: BCR; credit: Stefan Lungociu)