In a world where businesses are often seen as part of the problem, SEKEM has been writing a different story; one of hope, regeneration, and profound ecological transformation. What began as a bold vision to reclaim a barren patch of Egyptian desert has evolved into a thriving, carbon-neutral ecosystem, demonstrating that a business can be a powerful force for healing the planet.

When agriculture becomes regenerative, the land heals, and the climate responds. SEKEM’s approach goes beyond sustainability to regenerative agriculture, or what we call “carbon farming”. In 2024 alone, SEKEM’s biodynamic farms generated 19,597 carbon credits, equivalent to offsetting the annual emissions of more than 8,500 Egyptians. Under their Economy of Love (EoL) standard, these credits are monetized and reinvested into SEKEM’s “ Greening the Desert ” project, creating a self-sustaining cycle of ecological renewal.

Carbon neutrality is meaningful only when operations themselves are transformed. Overall emissions intensity fell by nearly 50%, reflecting gains in energy efficiency across SEKEM’s subsidiaries. ISIS Organic, responsible for the largest share of industrial emissions across the group, notably reduced its footprint by 9% in 2024, while Atos Pharma achieved a striking 167% reduction, and agriculture operations recorded a 77% drop.

A true ecological transformation also means restoring biodiversity. By embracing biodynamic agriculture and shunning harmful chemicals, the desert has been reimagined as a self-sustaining landscape. Since 2020, 7,000 hectares of barren land have been reclaimed, and over 600,000 trees have been planted. In 2024 alone, 84,000 new trees were planted, exceeding the target by 60%. Species diversity in these areas has increased, strengthening ecosystem resilience.

Conservation extends to the national stage. Beyond its farms, SEKEM actively works to protect endangered plant species and has played a crucial role in drafting Egypt’s national strategy and laws for conserving plant genetic resources.

SEKEM’s legacy lies in the model it offers: a powerful, profitable, and carbon-neutral path for Egypt’s future. It is a blueprint that proves regenerative business is not only possible, but scalable.

Click here to learn more about SEKEM’s latest ecological achievements in the 2024 Annual Report.

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