In 2017, we directly supported more than 1,000 institutions, totalling an amount of 21.7 million euros, which represents an increase of 21% compared to 2016.
Institutionally, we provided assistance to more than 50 institutions by donating over 3.7 million euros. Of this amount, 82% was channelled towards educational and cultural projects, 11% to the social area and approximately 7% went towards other types of aid in healthcare, the environment and citizenship.
In Portugal, Pingo Doce donated food and made cash contributions to over 400 institutions whose social mission is focused on the surrounding communities. The support amounted to more than 14.6 million euros, of which 96% were food donations equivalent to over 9.6 thousand tonnes. Recheio offered food donations and made cash contributions to 147 charities, worth more than 550 thousand euros.
In Poland, we made cash donations of more than 2.5 million euros to the more than 400 institutions which help fight hunger and malnutrition, and which seek to raise societal awareness on issues such as the importance of healthy eating habits, the well-being of institutionalised children and the family unity. Food donations, thus, totalled approximately 670 tonnes, which correspond to more than 1.4 million euros, and is estimated to have reached nearly 11 thousand people.
In 2017, Ara, in Colombia, donated food amounting to more than 238 thousand euros.
Food surpluses meeting food security standards but cannot be sold, are donated by the Group in the various countries to social welfare institutions which, in turn, distribute them to people living in extremely vulnerable conditions. Approximately 10.7 thousand tonnes were donated in 2017.
With the arrival of refugees from the Middle East, namely Syria, the Jerónimo Martins Group established a partnership with Portuguese association Pão a Pão – Association for the Integration of Refugees from the Middle East, to help with the inclusion and employability of Syrian refugees, by opening a restaurant. The restaurant, called Mezze (Meal), is located in the heart of Lisbon and serves traditional Syrian meals. In 2017, we made food donations totalling 18 thousand euros.
We continued to provide support, which started in 2015, to Academia do Johnson, a community project that aims at combating social exclusion and the school dropout of about 160 children and youths from vulnerable communities in the Lisbon region. This Academy promotes the practice of sport as a means of developing behavioural, social and technical skills that help prevent risk situations in their lives and enhance their integration into society. In 2017, we integrated two young adults from the Academy by offering them a job at the central structure and Pingo Doce.
As part of International Children’s Day, Biedronka has been supporting the “Let’s Stay Together” Campaign, by teaming up with Caritas Polska to help strengthen the bonds between children and their families. With an investment of over 100 thousand euros, the 2017 campaign was held in 22 cities in several regions in Poland, where more than 200 thousand children and parents were able to take part in and enjoy various entertainment and food related activities, offered by Biedronka.
Ara supports Abaco – Asociación de Bancos de Alimentos de Colombia (Colombian Association of Food Banks), whose mission is to establish strategic alliances with public and private partners to fight against hunger and food waste. In 2017, Ara donated over 116 tonnes in food surplus that reached an estimated monthly average of more than 590 people. It also helped prevent an equivalent of 2,400 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, which would otherwise have been sent to a landfill.
Aiming to leverage consumer’s engagement in the fight against hunger, our stores allow food donated by customers to be collected so that it can reach people living in extremely vulnerable conditions.
The 2017 data referring to the support granted to our surrounding communities was verified by an external and independent auditor within the scope of the Group’s 2017 Annual Report.