Employees of the ORLEN Unipetrol Group took part again this year in the traditional Volunteer Days organised by the ORLEN Unipetrol Foundation. In the first wave of the 15th edition, more than 140 employees volunteered their time and energy to eight non-profit organisations across the Czech Republic. The company has been organising Volunteer Days for its employees since 2012. This long-standing tradition has become a natural part of the corporate culture, through which employees help out in the local communities surrounding the company’s production plants.

“I greatly appreciate the fact that our employees join the Volunteer Days every year with such dedication and willingness, thereby contributing to improving the environment in which they live and work. This tradition clearly shows that caring for the local community and helping others has a firm place in our company. Volunteering activities not only deliver tangible results but also strengthen relationships among employees. We are proud that volunteers, through their approach, help to make a positive difference and that they care deeply about life in the regions where we operate,” says Lucie Pražáková, Director of the ORLEN Unipetrol Foundation.  

Volunteering days have long connected ORLEN Unipetrol employees with local communities, non-profit organisations and the public sphere. In the first wave of this year’s 15th edition, over 140 employees took part in the activities, supporting eight organisations across the Czech Republic through their voluntary work. They focused on projects aimed at helping children, the elderly, animals, and caring for nature and the shared environment.

Non-profit organisations where volunteers helped this year:

• ​Přelouč (Vrbová stáj) – landscaping the surroundings and pastures, work on facilities for rescued animals
• Litvínov (nursery schools) – refurbishing play equipment, tidying up sandpits, improving outdoor spaces for children
• Most (children’s home) – painting equipment, clearing out space for new leisure activity facilities
• Brno (Kamenná Retirement Home) – tidying the garden, refurbishing outdoor furniture, pruning bushes
• Mělník (DogPlanet shelter) – grounds maintenance, animal care
• Zlín (animal shelter) – grounds maintenance, animal care
• Veltrusy (castle park) – maintenance of the landscaped park
• Neratovice (Home for People with Disabilities) – landscaping and garden maintenance

Activities for this year’s Volunteer Days at the participating organisations began on 23 April and culminated in mid-June. The ORLEN Unipetrol Foundation also provides financial support to these institutions through grants for equipment and materials used during the various activities. The Volunteer Days will continue in the autumn. In September, ORLEN Unipetrol employees can get involved in projects at the Dolní Počernice Children’s Home in Prague or at the Střimice spoil tip in Most.