Law 2173 of 2021: 2 trees for each employee. What is this provision?

What did this law regulate?

This law regulated that all medium and large companies duly registered in Colombia must develop a program of planting at least two (2) trees for each of their employees, in the areas established as areas of life defined and destined by the municipalities for restoration programs.

These trees must be native species that meet the characteristics of species, thermal floor, phytosanitary, soil and other requirements established in coordination with the national, regional and municipal environmental authority, hand in hand with the mayors.

Each company will assume the costs of the tree planting program and the restoration days will be internal activities of the companies, so they must be carried out during working hours, complying with occupational safety protocols and other requirements by law.

When does this law apply?

Companies must comply with this law annually, starting from the year following the enactment of this law, that is, from December 30, 2022.

Other provisions namely.

Micro and small companies may, by their own decision, carry out restoration days through the planting of trees.

Medium and large companies, which for reasons of the pandemic have had to close their own activities, but manage to reactivate, will have a transition period to comply with the provisions of this law, and must comply with the rule one year after the promulgation of this law.

Companies whom are dissolved, liquidated, or inactive, must present the certificate that proves it and thus, be exempt from compliance with this Law.

Finally, the Municipal Secretaries of Environment, Planning or whoever takes their place, will issue the “Certificate Sowing Business Life” to companies that have complied with this law and will not have any additional cost.