May 30, 2010, Alpha Bank Group Volunteer Day
8 Countries, 1,500 volunteers together, transform the vision into action!
With the goal of further sensitising the human resources of the Group in social and environmental issues and in the framework of the Corporate Social Responsibility of Alpha Bank, the last Sunday in May of each year has been established as the “ALPHA BANK GROUP VOLUNTEER DAY”. This year, on the 30th of May 2010, volunteer groups who were composed by members of the Personnel and their families carried out actions of a social or environmental nature in Greece, Cyprus, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Ukraine, Albania and F.Y.R.O.M., promoting in this way teamwork and cooperation.
In Greece, three initiatives took place with the participation of approximately 250 people. Specifically, in Attica, the volunteers along with their families cleaned the botanical path in the area of the Aesthetic Park of Kaissariani, from Kaissariani Monastery until the Taxiarhes Hill. After the cleaning, a tour of the Monastery ensued. In Thessaloniki, a cleanup of the Peraia Beach in the Thermaikos Municipality took place, while in Patra, approximately 100 volunteers undertook the cleanup of Aktaios Beach in the Rio Municipality.
In Cyprus, a Pancyprian Volunteer Public Park Cleanup was organised per region. There was a great turnout of volunteer Employees of the Bank along with members of their families. In total, 240 volunteers took part in the initiative, undertaking the cleanup of part of the Athalassa National Park in Nicosia, Rizoelia National Park in Larnaca, part of the Molos Promenade in Limassol and the Ahmed Rashid Park in Paphos.
In Romania, 140 volunteers from the Bank Personnel participated, along with their families in the Volunteer Day which took place in the Botanical Garden in Bucharest. Specifically, the volunteers undertook to clean and embellish the Garden with additional plants, while at the same time they painted the benches and the fences in order to aesthetically improve the Botanical Garden.
In Bulgaria, 206 volunteers participated in the Volunteer Day with activities in Sofia, Varna, and Plovdiv. Specifically, in Sofia a team of volunteers painted and renovated the classrooms of the First Special School of the capital for children with mental problems. The goal of the volunteers was the creation of a more pleasant teaching environment for the children. The second team carried out the cleanup of the area around the “Kambanite” historical monument. In Varna, the Bank volunteers attended to the improvement of the “Sevastopol” garden, while the Bank Employees from the city of Plovdiv cleaned the area which is found at the Bunarjik hill. At the end of the Day, 500 kilograms of waste were collected and transported from the three cities. The enthusiasm, teamwork, and cooperation of the volunteers contributed to the success of the Volunteer Day, which was organised for the second consecutive year in Bulgaria.
In Serbia, 467 volunteers of Alpha Bank Srbija A.D., with a firm belief in volunteerism undertook the renovation and painting of the yards of 20 schools, in cities of Serbia. The volunteers, with particular enthusiasm, cleaned the external premises and planted trees. Thanks to the good disposition of the volunteers and the excellent organisation, 20 schoolyards changed facades.
In Ukraine, the “Alpha Bank Group Volunteer Day” was organised for the first time with the participation of 30 volunteers, who with particular enthusiasm undertook to embellish and to place plants in a public park, in the city of Kiev.
In Albania, in the context of the “Alpha Bank Group Volunteer Day”, which was realised for the second year, the Employees of the Branches of the Bank visited three “Children’s Homes” in Tirana, Shkodra and Vlora. During their visit, the volunteers offered presents to the children, while they also had the opportunity to play with them. All the volunteers congratulated the children’s teachers for the valuable work they perform.
In F.Y.R.O.M., two different events for the Volunteer Day were organised, with the participation of 140 volunteers. In Skopje, the Employees of the Bank along with their families visited the SOS Children’s Village and donated air conditioners to different houses of the Village, in order to improve the quality of life of the children who live there. In addition, groups of volunteers were formed, some of which undertook to paint the fences of the village, while others participated in athletic and social events. At the same time, in 14 other cities where Alpha Bank A.D. Skopje has a presence, Bank Employees donated computers to socially deprived families, whose children attend school. Many of the volunteers visited these families themselves and had the opportunity not just to offer the computers but also to talk with and meet the children and their parents.
The active participation of all constitutes a valuable contribution in Alpha Bank’s effort for a better world. The sensitisation in similar actions reflects the social responsibility policy that is implemented in the Group and promotes teamwork and cooperation.
