Earlier today, the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena, in partnership with Smurfit Westrock — a leading provider of sustainable paper and packaging solutions — planted 100 trees at Freedom Park as part of the ongoing Rock the Rim campaign.
Since the 2023–24 season, the Hawks and Smurfit Westrock have committed to planting a tree in the local community for every dunk made throughout the year — turning on-court excitement into real environmental impact.
“The Rock the Rim initiative is a great way to support the Hawks for every exciting dunk this season while also helping to make a real difference in our community from a sustainability standpoint,” said Andrew Saltzman, President of Business Enterprise and Chief Commercial Officer for the Hawks and State Farm Arena. “Smurfit Westrock shares many of our values and sustainability goals. We’re proud of what we’re undertaking together to help build a better Atlanta.”
The event tipped off at 9 a.m. and brought together more than 50 volunteers from both the Hawks and Smurfit Westrock, who planted trees across Freedom Park — one of Atlanta’s largest green spaces — in just under three hours.
“Smurfit Westrock and our team of volunteers are committed to making a positive community impact through our partnership with the Hawks and Trees Atlanta,” said Tammy Pollock, Regional Vice President of Communications for Smurfit Westrock. “As a global manufacturer of sustainable paper and packaging solutions, we know the positive impact thriving tree canopies have on community wellbeing and appreciate the opportunity to enhance Atlanta’s green spaces through this effort.”
Since the partnership began in 2024, the Hawks and Smurfit Westrock have planted a total of 445 trees across metro Atlanta communities including Candler Park, Clear Creek, Connally Nature Preserve, Proctor Creek, and Woodall Creek. The initiative reflects the Hawks’ broader commitment to sustainability and aligns with ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) goals focused on environmental stewardship, community engagement, and corporate responsibility.
Smurfit Westrock also serves as the official entitlement partner of State Farm Arena’s Resource Recovery Room (R3), an area dedicated to sorting and diverting waste generated during all arena events.
State Farm Arena remains the world’s first sports and entertainment venue to achieve TRUE Platinum Certification for zero waste. When the journey began in 2019, only about 10 percent of total waste was diverted — today, more than 90 percent of all event waste is successfully kept out of landfills.
To learn more about the Hawks and State Farm Arena’s sustainability initiatives, visit StateFarmArena.com/Sustainability.
