At our office in Brazil, we’re helping to save a native bee species from extinction
“At Güntner, sustainability is in our DNA, and it’s something we talk about a lot,” says Osni Caron, CEO of Güntner in Brazil. “That’s why we’ve led the way in promoting the use of natural refrigerants in our industry and why we recently committed to six sustainability pledges to significantly reduce the impact we have on the environment by 2030.”
Güntner’s pledges aim to cut carbon, energy and water intensity across all of our global manufacturing facilities, while also boosting the sustainability of our products and packaging. But as well as these large-scale initiatives, our commitment to sustainability also involves every Güntner employee, and the communities in which they live and work. At Güntner Brazil’s head office, located in Caxias do Sul in the south of the country, this commitment can be seen in action.
In the office’s extensive garden are a large number of wooden boxes, placed on shelves beneath the shade of a leaf-topped pergola. They are home to a species of stingless bees, native to the local region, which is in danger of extinction. The guaraipo negra, as it’s known, is threatened by the growth of agriculture and urbanisation. By establishing a viable colony (which means a minimum of 44 hives), the Güntner office is helping to preserve this increasingly rare insect. And because the bees have no sting, there’s no potential danger for colleagues or visitors.
But there’s even more to the project than the protection of the bees. According to expert Gabriel Benoski, who was brought in as a consultant on the project to share his expertise and to ensure local regulations were followed, the bees bring considerable benefits to the local environment.
The bees make honey, too. It differs from the honey produced by traditional honey bees, in that it’s more syrupy and less sweet, but it’s been shown to have a number of medicinal uses. It has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties and can be used to help wounds heal and as a treatment for sunburn. It’s also valued by some chefs, including the world-famous René Redzepi of Noma, for its slightly acidic quality. In the retail world, it sells for around ten times the cost of traditional honey.
However, Caron has no intention of going into the business of selling Güntner honey. The amount produced by his bees is relatively small, and he likes to offer small samples to visiting customers. He’s also on a mission to educate others on the many benefits of keeping stingless bees, and is happy for members of the local community and children from local schools to come and see for themselves and to take part in educational workshops.
Benoski says that the Güntner project is extremely important in helping to repopulate the south of Brazil with native stingless bees. And he’s also grateful for any opportunity to spread the word about their importance. “Güntner is helping to make the people aware of them, and that’s great,” he says. “May this continue for a long time.”