Bank Millennium and WWF Polska Foundation extend partnership for the benefit of nature

Bank Millennium has been supporting WWF Polska since 2008. It issues the WWF Millennium Mastercard credit card. The Bank transfers 50 PLN to WWF Poland for each main card issued. In addition, each year the organisation receives special funds from the Bank for statutory activities supporting the protection of forest ecosystems and the animal species associated with them. The cooperation has been extended for another three years and will cover lynx protection activities, including monitoring of this predator in the forests of north-eastern Poland. The lynx is one of the three largest carnivores in Europe. It is extinct in the western part of the continent and many European populations are still endangered. However, thanks to effective conservation, it is returning to places where it has not been seen for decades or even hundreds of years.

- A sound assessment of the situation of this predator and the threats it faces in the environment is the basis for planning conservation efforts. Through various forms of monitoring such as observation, tracking, photo traps, hair traps, acoustic monitoring - we are gaining invaluable answers to questions such as which habitats lynx prefer to live in, where family groups (females with young) occur and what threats are there. This allows us to make the right decisions and carry out effective conservation actions for the species. – explains Stefan Jakimiuk, senior species conservation expert from WWF Poland.

- We are a partner that demonstrates consistency in action, foresight and stability in difficult and unpredictable times. These principles apply not only to the bank's business activities. We have happily and proudly supported WWF's work since 2008 and want to continue to do so. We educate consumers, employees and bank clients in favour of nature conservation. We pay special attention to the environmental aspects in our surroundings, believing that the actions and support we give may pay off in the future for the good of our planet. – declares Iwona Jarzębska, Head of the Public Relations Department at Bank Millennium.

The WWF Polska Foundation has for many years been conducting lynx monitoring activities in areas where reintroduction programmes are carried out, e.g. in the Warmińsko-Mazurskie Voivodeship, and supports such activities in the Zachodniopomorskie Voivodeship. In Podlasie, it monitors natural lynx populations mainly in the Białowieża Forest, Knyszynska Forest and Augustów Forest. It also collects information on the occurrence of lynx in other areas of the region, e.g. in the Biebrzanski National Park.

WWF is an independent environmental organisation whose activities are followed by more than 38 million people worldwide. Within its global network, it operates locally in more than 100 countries and has been protecting nature in Poland for 25 years. WWF's mission is to work towards a future in which humans live in harmony with nature.

By choosing WWF Millennium Mastercard, Bank Millennium clients can support environment protection and help the WWF Polska Foundation to address the most serious challenges to the protection of our planet.

Więcej informacji: www.bankmillennium.pl/en/individuals/payment-cards/credit-cards/wwf-millennium-mastercard