Lidl Hellas Social Return on Investment Study for the Child and Family Support Center of the Prefecture of Attica of the 'Child's Smile'
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BUSINESS: 381 PRACTICES
Lidl Hellas has been active in Greece since 1999. Today the company employs more than 6700 workers, while its network includes 230 stores and 5 state-of-the-art supply centers. It is included for the 6th consecutive year in "The Most Sustainable Companies in Greece", while for the 7th consecutive year it receives the distinction of "Top Employer" in Greece and Europe.
At Lidl Greece we are proud because we build perspective for all our stakeholders, on solid, sustainable foundations. Business ethics are a source of inspiration for our values and the chain of responsibility becomes an act of sustainable empowerment for our own people, consumers, partners.
Sustainability for us is not a simple wording, but shapes our business profile and runs horizontally through our daily life.
We are moving on the trajectory of a new sustainability strategy, which develops in three dynamic axes: "Good for the planet", "Good for people" and "Good for you" with the individual actions spread over six strategic pillars: climate protection, respect for biodiversity, conservation of resources, business law, health protection and participation in dialogue. It is a functional as well as an innovative approach that allows us to respond with best practices, at the right time, to a variety of challenges. We adapt quickly, build efficiency and remain sustainable, extroverted and beneficial to the whole.
We were the first in the field of retail in Greece, for the period from April 1, 2015 to December 31, 2019, the Social Return on Investment (SROI) study for the Child and Family Support Center of the Prefecture of Attica, with the advisory support of the Climate Change Services Department and Sustainable Development of EV Greece, conducting interviews, focus groups and questionnaires with stakeholders aiming to translate our investments in the Child and Family Support Center of the Prefecture of Attica of the Organization 'The Smile of the Child", since 2015, in social value.
THE REASON
… To understand the changes that occurred in the lives of people from their involvement in the activities of the Organization "The Smile of the Child" through the Child and Family Support Center of the Prefecture of Attica.
...to be able to prioritize the most important results of social value
...to attribute a quantified monetary value to these results.
Regarding the communication of the study: To all internal and external stakeholders of our company:
• Organizational (internally for the company): employees, executives, associations, shareholders.
• Financial (external to the company): customers, creditors, distributors, suppliers.
• Social (external to the company): communities, government, non-profit organizations, environment.
Regarding the Support Center:
• Children of local families in need
• Children who grow up in the 5 houses of the Organization in Attica, which are supported by the Child and Family Support Center of the Prefecture of Attica The families of the children of the area who are in need
• The families of children in the area who are in need
• Employees and volunteers at the Support Center in all five houses of the Organization
• Non-profit organizations supported by the Organization
The findings of the research concern the period from April 1, 2015 to December 31, 2019, while the communication of the research started in December 2020 and continues until today.
The study in a nutshell We were the first in the field of retail in Greece, for the period from April 1, 2015 to December 31, 2019, the Social Return on Investment (SROI) study for the Child and Family Support Center of the Prefecture of Attica, with the advisory support of the Climate Change Services Department and Sustainable Development of EV Greece, conducting, among other things, interviews, focus groups and questionnaires to those involved.
The Support Center In April 2015, we donated to the Organization "The Smile of the Child" our property in Nea Makri to be used as a Support Center for the operations of the Organization, covering its operating costs. It operates daily, is staffed with a psychologist, social worker, storekeeper and provides material, social, counseling and psychological support to children and families.
Also, through the Support Center, the possibility is offered to the Organization "The Smile of the Child" to store and distribute fresh, frozen products and essential items to:
• families in the area in need
• 5 houses * of the Organization in the Prefecture of Attica
• third parties social support
* the study includes the most important effects that arise for children growing up in these 5 houses from all the services offered by the IS (eg feeding, accommodation, psychological support, education, entertainment, etc.)
The estimated social value created, for the period from 1 April 2015 to 31 December 2019, amounts to a total of approximately 23.2 million euros, with the total financial investments of all stakeholders amounting to approximately 9.9 million euros . For every € 1 invested by Lidl Hellas in the Support Center of Nea Makri, € 2.4 of social benefit have been created, through all the activities of the Smile of the Child that are supported by the Support Center.
The research was carried out on our property in Nea Makri, which we made available in April 2015 to the Organization "The Smile of the Child" to be used as a Support Center for the functions of the Organization. There, interviews, focus groups and questionnaires were conducted with those involved with the Support Center, while the findings were expressed at the offices of the Climate Change and Sustainable Development services of EV Greece in Athens.
With the Organization the Smile of the Child and with the advisory support of the department of Climate Change and Sustainable Development services of EY Greece.
Interviews, focus groups and questionnaires were conducted by EY and Lidl Hellas executives on those involved with the Support Center, who are:
• Children of local families in need
• Children who grow up in the 5 houses of the Organization in Attica, which are supported by the Child and Family Support Center of the Prefecture of Attica The families of the children of the area who are in need
• The families of children in the area who are in need
• Employees and volunteers at the Support Center in all five houses of the Organization
• Non-profit organizations supported by the Organization.
HOW SOCIAL VALUE IS DISTRIBUTED TO INTERESTED PARTIES
42% Children from local families in need
19% Children hosted in the five houses of the Organization in Attica
23% The families of children in need in the area
13% Employees and volunteers in the Support Center in all five houses of the Organization
3% Non-profit organizations supported by the Organization
CONCLUSION
Most of the social value created (61%) results from the positive effects that activities had on children. The second most important amount of social value (23%) created, is estimated for the family members of the children who are supported through the Support Center in Nea Makri.