We want the local communities near our sites to see us as a good neighbour.
We put this into practice through supporting our employees to volunteer, and through the Synthomer Foundation, which has supported community projects in the USA for over 60 years. Now, we’re working to expand our reach even further.
We’re refocusing our approach to our community engagement, building on what we’ve learned from our Synthomer Foundation, and how we provide funding and support for local community activities. To help us do that, we’ve set a community-based target as part of Vision 2030 – to provide volunteer support and financial contributions in excess of £1 million a year to advance education, public health, diversity and environmental stewardship.
Volunteering
Volunteering is a really significant way that everyone at Synthomer can make a difference in local communities. We’ve set up a global volunteering network which includes a community champion at each site, as well as three regional coordinators who meet quarterly to discuss project proposals.
In May 2021, we launched Synthomer Cares week, where employees around the world get involved in activities to raise funds, support local communities and feel connected with one another – and we ran it again in May 2022.
Employees around the world helped raise funds, support local communities and connect with one another through a range of activities.
Some of the highlights included:
- Our global charity run, involving more than 500 employees – 10% of our workforce – across 16 countries. Together, they clocked up 29,000 kilometres, raising more than £12,000 for eight not-for-profit organisations across three regions.
- Our Sokolov site, in the Czech Republic, held a ‘155 Line Day’ event for primary schools, helping more than 200 children learn more about the work done by the Karlovy Vary Region Rescue Service.
- In Marl, Germany, our employees took part in an environmental clean-up event held around our offices. As a result, coffee-to-go cups, bottles, cans, food packaging, camping equipment, clothing and disposable masks were all collected and disposed of properly.
- In Ohio, USA, our employees helped out at the urban farm of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio, Cleveland with weeding, rubbish collection and general chores.