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22.01.2026 Story

Active for the Environment: Hyundai Advances Reforestation across Europe as part of the Global IONIQ Forest Initiative

IONIQ Forest turns 10: A decade of global impact and local action

In 2026, Hyundai is celebrating the 10th anniversary of IONIQ Forest, the company’s coordinated global reforestation initiative. Over the past decade, IONIQ Forest has expanded to 13 countries worldwide, bringing communities, partners, and Hyundai employees together to restore ecosystems and strengthen climate resilience.

The program has surpassed the milestone of planting more than 1 million trees across multiple continents, with locations in Europe alongside further sites across Asia, the Middle East, and America. Three countries have joined the initiative in Europe: Germany, Türkiye, and Czechia. These countries are very meaningful to Hyundai. The first is home to Hyundai Motor Deutschland as well as Hyundai Motor’s European business headquarters, while the other two host our European factories.

The IONIQ Forest underscores Hyundai’s commitment to the philosophy of “Progress for Humanity” and the Creating Shared Value (CSV) pillars: Earth, Hope, and Mobility – supporting environmental restoration, community wellbeing, and sustainable progress.

Employee-led reforestation: Hyundai teams take action in Alzenau, Germany

Inspired by the success of IONIQ Forest, Hyundai employees worldwide continue to advance and amplify these achievements through hands-on participation – most recently in Alzenau, Germany (near Frankfurt).

The activation in Alzenau has a special objective, to help restoring the around 250 hectars of forest that were severely damaged during a storm in 2019. The 3,000 trees planted by Hyundai employees are a way to aid in the reforestation efforts and were “earned” through an employee challenge that rewarded sport and physical activity, turning personal commitment into tangible environmental impact. Employees who took part in the challenge and then planted the trees described it as a rewarding full-circle experience that connects individual action with collective purpose.

By engaging employees directly – from earning trees through a movement challenge to planting them in local forests – Hyundai fosters environmental stewardship, strengthens community ties, and reinforces the company’s culture of purpose-driven participation.

Daria T. says:

“I’ve taken part in the challenge twice, earning most of my trees by running. It’s a rewarding experience, especially seeing all the effort come together at the end.”

Arthur S. says:

“Doing something meaningful while taking fresh air feels great – and even better when it has a positive impact for the environment. I’ll definitely join this activity in the future and encourage my team to get involved whenever they can.”

To mark this collective achievement, a wooden plaque was installed at the IONIQ Forest – symbolizing both pride in the contribution and a commitment to continue strengthening the local environment through ongoing engagement.

Key facts:

  • IONIQ Forest in Alzenau, Germany
  • 3,000 trees planted
  • In collaboration with the local authorities and the organization Klima Helden
  • The trees were “earned” by employees through a movement challenge to promote physical activity and wellbeing
  • Tree species: oak, silver linden, maple, pine and elm

IONIQ Forest across Europe: Germany, Czechia, Türkiye

Across Europe, IONIQ Forest has established long-term projects that combine restoration with community engagement and employee volunteering.

Czechia
Closely linked to Hyundai’s manufacturing plant in Nošovice, IONIQ Forest in Czechia builds on a strong tradition of community responsibility. More than 22,000 trees – primarily fir and beech – have been planted following a natural regeneration model, planting young trees beneath older ones to promote resilient forests. Hyundai has a very active employee volunteering program in the Beskydy Mountains. Employees regularly participate in the ongoing care of the meadows, which includes grass cutting, hay raking, planting native seeds and seedlings, and monitoring biodiversity to promote ecological health. Since 2021 these programs are done in close cooperation to the NGO ČSOP Salamandr.
Türkiye
By the end of 2025, Hyundai Motor Türkiye will have planted more than 25,000 trees across several IONIQ Forest locations, including sites near the Izmit factory and a local university. Predominant species include nut pine and maritime pine that support local ecosystems by counteracting erosion, improving air quality, and sequestering carbon. These sites are developed in collaboration with local partners to enhance long-term forest health and community value.
Germany
The project in Alzenau described above is only one of the two Hyundai’s IONIQ Forest sites in Germany. The other one is located in Lüdenscheid (close to Cologne) where Hyundai works with PLANT-MY-TREE® to plant one tree for every IONIQ model sold in Germany (IONIQ 5, IONIQ 5 N, IONIQ 6, and the all-new IONIQ 9). To date 33,000 trees have been planted, with species including birch, douglas fir, and pine – selected for resilience and suitability to local conditions.

Looking ahead: A deeper commitment for the next decade

Marking ten years of IONIQ Forest gives Hyundai an opportunity to reflect on measurable environmental outcomes and the power of collective action – spanning employees, communities, and partners. Looking forward, Hyundai remains deeply committed to people and the planet, continuing to scale reforestation, habitat restoration, and community engagement under the Creating Shared Value (CSV) pillars of Earth, Hope, and Mobility. Guided by the vision of Progress for Humanity, Hyundai will keep investing in long-term ecological health, local partnerships, and meaningful employee involvement to help shape a better tomorrow.

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