The act of giving and maintaining a responsible attitude towards society are both integral elements of the Group’s culture and strategy.

A reassessment of our CSR actions and focus on two main pillars: society - vulnerable groups and new generation, took place in 2014.

These actions (amounting to € 3.04 m.) were addressed mainly both to local communities, where the Group’s business activities take place and the broader society. Indicatively, these CSR actions include:

SOCIETY - VULNERABLE GROUPS

• Donation of heating oil to schools, centres for the elderly in neighbouring municipalities and NGO all over Greece
• Supporting the"social groceries" program of the Athens Municipality and neighbouring municipalities
• Cooperation and support of NGOs, following an assessment on how they operate and contributing to aiding vulnerable groups
• Hosting children, from poor families in neighboring municipalities, at summer camps
• Continuation of programs to support the needy (support given to organizations such as ELIX voluntary work programs, Western Attica Disabled, Association of Social Responsibility for Children and Youth, etc.).

YOUTH

• Supporting schools infrastructure
• Supporting schools events
• Training visits - Excursions
• Organization of competitions – Rewards (Xmas cards)
• Enhancing Youth Entrepreneurship (Global Management Challenge, HUB, etc.)
• Awards granted to outstanding students from neighbouring municipalities for admission to Greek Universities/Colleges
• The "Young Graduates Employment Program" for one year contruct and potential exceeding for another year or two
• Scholarships for post graduate studies abroad for young people from Greece
• Scholarships for postgraduate studies at the ALBA Graduate Business School for young people from neighboring municipalities
• Seminars on Skills Development provided to young people from the local community, in collaboration with the ALBA Graduate Business School
• Continuously updating young people on issues concerning them. Supporting the participation of young people and students in contests and training programs (Robotics, Youth Entrepreneurship, Physics Olympiad).
  
  
  

CULTURE

• Support of festivals in neighboring municipalities/student events and participations
• Supporting libraries in the Thriassio and Western Thessaloniki regions
• Distribution of 6,000 books throughout libraries in the country.

SPORTS

• Sponsoring of major sports teams from neighbouring societies
• Supporting major sporting events in the neighboring regions (such as 3X3 street-ball)
• Supporting athletes with high performance/rewarding/paraolympians.

ENVIRONMENT  

• Donation of prepaid cards for fuel supply to fire fighting vehicles
• Supporting the cleaning of archaeological sites
• Maintenance of atmospheric pollution measurement stations in neighbouring municipalities
• Supporting "The Energy for Life...travels" environmental education program, taking place on 7 islands, with 54 workshops, including 1,350 pupils, in cooperation with 13 NGO
   

INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS

• Road paving/asphalting works in neighboring municipalities
• Renovation of playground in the Aspropyrgos Municipality.

SUPPORTING EMPLOYMENT

Support and participation in actions for Social Entrepreneurship (Amphitrite, local plans for employment adjusted to the needs of local labor markets etc.).

EDUCATIONAL VISITS TO GROUP FACILITIES

In 2014, the Group's industrial facilities, in Aspropyrgos and Western Thessaloniki, welcomed and briefed 3,566 schoolchildren and students from educational institutions of all levels.

In addition, 160 students and 20 teachers from across Europe, participating in the European Science Olympiad EUSO 2014, were hosted at the Aspropyrgos headquarters, and toured the industrial facilities as well as the archaeological site of Eleusis (Elefsina) during their stay in Athens.
 

Table 6.4: Educational visits (breakdown by educational level)