hbdt - Hawke's Bay Document Technology

Ricoh New Zealand Dealer - Hawke’s Bay Document Technology

Impressive results

In August 2009 Ricoh New Zealand dealer Hawke’s Bay Document Technology (HBDT) partnered with Havelock North Intermediate School to implement Ricoh’s Trees for Schools fundraising programme with outstanding results.

Around a third of the 620 students at Havelock North Intermediate School sold an impressive 3,800 seedlings raising over $7,000 for their school.

Principal Graham Ellis says the funds raised through Trees for Schools will be put towards beautification of the school grounds, including irrigation and fertiliser for the new seedlings, and building an all-weather outdoor area for students. 

Mr Ellis says he was enthusiastic about the Trees for Schools fundraising programme because of its connection to the environment.

“Trees for Schools not only benefitted our school environment but also provided the opportunity for native trees to be planted in the wider community,” says Mr Ellis.

Duncan Wallace, Managing Director at HBDT says he decided to participate in Trees for Schools as a show of thanks to a school that has supported his business.

“The process was new to both us and to the school, but the staff and students at Havelock Intermediate School worked hard and the fundraiser was more successful than any of us imagined,” says Duncan.

Walking the talk

All the staff at HBDT were involved at some stage – creating incentives such as prizes for the student who sold the most trees – and all hands were on deck when the seedlings were delivered to school, with HBDT staff helping out with the logistics of distributing the trees. 

“One of the reasons the staff at HBDT enjoyed being involved in the Trees for Schools fundraiser was being able to ‘walk the talk’ and actively contribute to a local school,” says Duncan.

He says many companies in the document solutions industry spend a lot of time talking about working with the community, but action is thin on the ground. 

According to Duncan, participating in Trees for Schools boosted HBDT’s credibility in the community and was also a great learning exercise for the school and the students.

The dealership is looking to leverage its involvement with Hawke’s Bay Rugby by inviting rugby players to plant some seedlings on the school grounds.  Media will be invited to attend to get some publicity from the exercise.

Background information

Introduced in 2008, the Trees for Schools fundraising initiative sees Ricoh representatives partnering with schools to sell native seedlings. Schools buy the seedlings from Ricoh and then in turn sell them to neighbours, friends and family as a fundraiser. 

Purchasers can opt to plant the seedlings themselves or, for an extra $4, students will do the planting for them. The seedlings can also be donated to the school and planted on the school grounds.