Bupa has committed to spend £2m on nature restoration projects in urban areas around the world as part of its annual Healthy Cities programme, arguing that creating greener and healthier cities “can provide a win-win for both people and the planet”.

The global healthcare giant said the money would go towards a raft of different projects delivered alongside local partners, including initiatives to provide green community grants to schools and charities in the UK, efforts to clear waste from coastal areas in Hong Kong, and plans to create new forests in Australia, Mexico, and Brazil.

Other projects earmarked for support include plans to regenerate areas damaged by wildfires in Chile, clear plastic from the River Nile in Egypt, and plant trees in Poland, the company said.

It follows the completion of Bupa’s latest Healthy Cities programme for 2023, which aims to encourage people to adopt healthy, long term habits in their day to day lives that also help to preserve and regenerate urban green spaces.

The programme includes a step challenge, through which participants can unlock investment from Bupa into urban green restoration projects by running or walking a minimum of 6,000 steps a day for a month.

This year 55,000 people took part in the challenge, which unlocked a total of £2m in funding from Bupa. The firm has also confirmed plans to run the Healthy Cities programme again in 2024.

Bupa said it would work with local governments, NGOs, and nature experts to ensure projects in different cities supported through the funding are beneficial to local ecosystems and residents.

Nigel Sullivan, Chief Sustainability and People Officer at Bupa, said: “A core pillar of our sustainability strategy involves a long-term ambition for Bupa to play a leading role in improving people’s health through the restoration and regeneration of nature.

“Our Healthy Cities programme is an important part of achieving this, enabling us to engage thousands of people in the cities Bupa operates in and encouraging them to get involved in an initiative that can benefit both their health and the health of the planet.

“Now it’s our turn to deliver on our promise to reward their efforts with investment in restoring natural ecosystems, which could indirectly support the health of many more people across the world.”

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