Sustainability: More Than a Buzzword

photos courtesy of KONE Corp.

The roof of KONE Corp.’s Hyvinkää, Finland, factory is the headquarters of an exceptionally productive team of workers: a colony of 500,000 bees. Since 2020, KONE and the professional beekeepers at Korpikuusikon Hunaja have collaborated to provide homes for bees with the common goal of helping cities to grow sustainably. 

Starting with four elevator-shaped hives, KONE’s urban apiary has expanded to include eight hives. These busy bees produce honey — approximately 450 kg last year — and pollinate 10,000,000 flowers a day in the surrounding area. Their efforts make a difference as almost 90% of wild plants and 75% of leading global crops depend on animal pollination, according to the World Wildlife Federation.   

Enhancing the well-being of the environment is central to the mission of Korpikuusikon Hunaja. Along with providing turnkey hives and year-round bee care, the company uses honey and beeswax from their customers’ hives to make ecologically friendly corporate gifts with fully recyclable packaging made of glass, paperboard and wood. Finnish companies like KONE can offer these locally made products as presents that are not only a treat but a tangible sign of their values and commitments.