Among the main internal volunteer initiatives, we highlight the promotion and encouragement of our reforestation efforts in the area affected by the fires that hit the region of Arganil, central Portugal, in 2017.
In this initiative 46 volunteers from the central structures participated, who planted more than 3,000 trees. One euro was also allocated for each tree planted to two institutions that supported reforestation: SOS Arganil and APPACDM – Associação Portuguesa de Pais e Amigos do Cidadão Deficiente Mental de Coimbra (Coimbra’s Portuguese Parents and Friends Association of the Mentally Disabled Citizen).
Our employees also participate in the programmes of the Junior Achievement Portugal Association, whose objective is to promote entrepreneurship among children and young people through teaching about themes such as: relationship with family and communities, economy, entrepreneurship.
In the academic year 2017/2018, there were 41 participants, with a total of 391 hours, which impacted 575 students.
The Group supported more than 48,000 euros of producers of protected cheese Serra da Estrela, following a forest fire that decimated more than 5,000 sheep from the native breed Bordaleira, and vast areas of pasture.
The support made it possible to acquire the necessary equipment for grazing and milk production, as well as the installation of a Re-breeding Centre, through the purchase of animals of that breed.
During the Christmas season, and in keeping with an annual tradition of the Group, we organised an internal campaign of solidarity with the aim of offering gifts to children from unstructured families who live in foster homes supported on a continuous basis by the Group throughout the year. In 2018, the Group’s employees in Portugal offered gifts to 73 children.
In addition, during the Christmas Party, which brought together more than 1,000 managers and the top management of the Group, a fundraising campaign was carried out for the expansion of the Lisbon host house of the Associação de Pais e Amigos de Crianças com Cancro (Association of Parents and Friends of Children with Cancer), aiming to increase the offer of simultaneous accommodation for 32 families and to extend the age limit for young people who reside outside the Lisbon area to 25. On a matching donation basis, the Group equalled the amount donated by its managers during the event, thereby offering a total of 14,000 euros.