Keter CEO Alejandro Pena Honored Teacher Appreciation Week by Gifting Outdoor Furniture to a School’s Garden

HGTV design star Sabrina Soto strolled through the children's garden at North Miami Elementary School in Florida last spring wearing a pink jumpsuit and a white, utilitarian apron that said "Keter" on the front pocket. The interior designer's dark brown eyes swept across the garden to see 50 students patiently waiting. 

Soto called out, "Are you guys ready to get dirty?" 

The children yelled enthusiastically, "Yes!" 

As students plunged into digging and planting, they didn't know this event was the culmination of a monthslong plan - and part of something much bigger. Alejandro Pena, CEO of Keter, a maker of outdoor furniture and storage solutions, wanted to share the company's sustainability story to the Miami community and beyond, reflecting the company's drive for innovation, and being good to the environment.

Raised garden beds, storage sheds, all-weather furniture, and deck boxes were among the 25 items Keter donated to North Miami Elementary School for its garden. The raised beds were especially welcome; they remain weed-free and offer plants better drainage and warmer soil. They're made from Evotech, a composite material that is fully recyclable.

Keter is a sustainability leader in the furniture market. The company aims to grow perpetually greener as it bakes more sustainability into its operations. Keter minimizes its use of virgin resources, eliminates waste at each production stage, and manufactures 100% recyclable furniture products for the great outdoors. 

CFO Pasquale Iannone Monitors Major Money, but a Modest Amount Made a Big Difference to Children 

Pasquale Iannone, Keter's chief financial officer, is accustomed to moving big numbers around on spreadsheets. But a modest monetary donation propelled the funded construction and upgrades to the Miami school's garden. 

With CEO Alejandro Pena at the fore, Keter's leadership team recently established the Keter Green Spaces initiative to make communities greener through connection and education. Keter launched the program at North Miami Elementary School during Teacher Appreciation Week as a gift to the teachers. It's an "outdoor classroom" that instructs children about botany, nutrition, biology, and environmental stewardship. 

Keter partnered with the Food Forests for Schools initiative to upgrade the elementary school's garden, a program managed by The Education Fund of Miami-Dade County. Food Forests for Schools creates vegetable gardens in outdoor classrooms in Miami-Dade County's public elementary schools. 

It was a happy sight as Keter and Education Fund volunteers entered the elementary school's garden on May 2, 2022, carrying Keter's stylish outdoor furniture and storage containers. They wore the same white aprons as Sabrina Soto, each featuring a red "Keter" patch on the front.

The volunteers placed deck boxes at well-spaced intervals, creating extra storage and seating. They put storage sheds in place so students can neatly stash garden equipment. Keter's teal-toned Adirondack chairs infused the garden with splashes of bright color.

As the volunteers did the heavy lifting, the students examined the roots of tomato plants. They leaned against Keter's raised garden beds, which created the perfect environment for vegetables and herbs. They were laying the Food Forest's foundation to harvest vegetables a few months later.

Keter Will Keep Getting Greener

As the day went on, the team flawlessly executed the Food Forest. Interior designer Sabrina Soto cheerily buzzed around the garden, talking with the children. She explained what it meant to be an interior designer. Then she gave them some insight into her method. 

"When I can't think of color schemes when I have to put a room together, I look outside to nature," she said. "My mom let me have a garden at our house, which was one of the best memories." 

Soto encouraged students to interact with the garden along with the other volunteers. Schoolteachers taught students how to plant seeds. As the landscape unfolded, the Food Forest arose to create an enchanted garden. Every child and adult put in sweat equity.

The successful Food Forest, the first built by Keter Green Spaces, aligns with the group's mission: to teach children how their food is grown to inspire them to love and care for the environment. In fact, Keter CEO Alejandro Pena is pushing the company toward ever-increasing sustainability practices. 

The Food Forest Built by Keter Green Spaces Impressed Keter CEO Alejandro Pena

As a debut event, the first Food Forest built by Keter Green Spaces went off swimmingly. CEO Alejandro Pena says introducing the Keter Green Spaces campaign is a powerful way to share the sustainability message with communities. It has also given employees a shiny north star. 

CFO Pasquale Iannone was impressed by the project Keter Green Spaces completed for North Miami Elementary School. Getting one's hands dirty is true charity, he thinks.

At Keter's core, sustainability is a critical differentiator that Pena identifies as a pillar of the brand. The company's environmentally friendly behavior has spurred on its competitors, according to Pena. 

Keter continually inches further into environmental sustainability because it's the right thing to do. Pena believes it will grow into a competitive advantage.