“The 25th anniversary is a good opportunity for us to thank the Polish society for trusting us and to reinforce important social commitments. By conducting activities that meet basic human needs and acting on a large scale, we have a unique opportunity to contribute to find solutions to the challenges of the local community and provide real help to those in need. Poland has made Biedronka big and we feel the responsibility that comes with it. That is why we are launching the Biedronka Foundation, which will focus on a populational group that faces very tough challenges: the elderly.” – says Pedro Soares dos Santos, Chairman and CEO of the Jerónimo Martins Group.
According to data and forecasts of the Central Statistical Office, one in four Poles are more than 60 years old and in 2050 older people will make up 40% of the society. Poland is one of the fastest aging societies in the world and it is becoming a great challenge to provide the best possible living conditions and care for the elderly. The years 2020-2030 have been proclaimed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the "Decade of Healthy Ageing" - the aim is for seniors to remain physically and mentally fit, self-confident and able to function on their own in society for as long as possible.
The Biedronka Foundation will support elderly people so that they can live with dignity, enjoy health longer and function better every day. The aims of the newly established Foundation are, among others, to counteract poverty, malnutrition, loneliness and social exclusion of the elderly.
In 2020 Biedronka Foundation will have a budget of PLN 50 million (around EUR 11.5), and in the following years the Founder, i.e. Jeronimo Martins Polska, plans to allocate not less than EUR 7.5 million and up to EUR 20 million per year to support the Foundation.
