SOCIETY

1) Strengthening employability:

Our traditional commitment to recruit employees primarily from our local communities translated into a share of 85% of our total workforce in 2013, with a total 2,000 jobs retained across the Group during the year. In addition to hiring full-time personnel, we also bolster local employment through the turnkey (EPC) construction of power plants and the construction and operation of RES projects.

Related action:

- Practical training with the Group for 28 young unemployed people: Highly sensitised to the grave social problem of unemployment in the country, the Group participates in the programme of the Manpower Employment Organisation (OAED) for providing work to unemployed young people up to 28 years old. In collaboration with various Vocational Training Centres (VTCs), the trainees joined the Group in September 2013 and will be employed for 500 hours in total in the context of a practical training arrangement.

2) Development of the local economy:

In meeting their needs, all Group subsidiaries give priority to local suppliers (according to their needs and specific characteristics and irrespective of the corresponding share of their total purchases budget). During 2013, nearly 30% of the purchases budget of our companies represented payments to local suppliers but also expenditures for the provision of know-how and technical support to Local Authorities and other local organisations.

3) Economic, Social & Environmental benefits from the development of RES Projects:

Public benefit projects in support of local communities are implemented primarily during the construction stage of RES projects and can indicatively include the following: 

- Significant reduction of the gas pollutants from the combustion of mineral fuels (lignite, coal, oil), which contribute to Climate Change. 
- Virtually nil environmental nuisance, minimal disruption to the natural ecosystem and protection of biodiversity. 
- Guaranteed income for the local communities from the operation of the RES projects. 
- Construction of infrastructure works to improve the life of local residents, such as road building or maintenance, repairs or construction of municipal buildings and facilities, in collaboration with the Municipalities concerned and depending of their needs.
- Donations to Municipalities towards the purchase of vehicles and equipment required for the operation of Municipal Services and for fire protection.

4) Coverage of local needs in infrastructures:

Through the consultations that we hold with our Stakeholders, coupled with the implementation of our "Open Door” Policy, we record the relevant needs of our local communities, which are then assessed by the CSR Teams of our subsidiaries, with priority given to projects of a public benefit nature. During 2013, a total of €147,000 were invested to cover our local communities' basic needs in infrastructures and thus help alleviate problems made more acute by the prolonged economic crisis.

Indicative actions:

- Complete refurbishment of the Sanitary Facilities in the Davlia summer camp for children, to comply with the requirements for the issue of the camp’s operating license (the camp is accommodating children from orphan's homes and schools in Greece and from countries in state of war).
- Organisation and purchase of electrical equipment for installation of lighting units in squares and specific streets of Kyriaki. Purchase of supplies and provision of work for the maintenance of the lighting system of the Aspra Spitia sports facilities.
- Active support of the initiative of the Holy Diocese of Thebes and Levadia and of the Levadia Centre of Labour Unions to establish 5 Social Preparatory Schools for Upper Secondary Education pupils from families in financial difficulty. In addition to provisioning these schools with heating oil throughout the winter, thus ensuring their smooth operation, we actively helped find suitable premises to accommodate the schools.
- Provisioning with heating oil of four (4) schools under the responsibility of the Primary Education School Committee of the Municipality of Karystos.
- Supply of transformers for the facilities of the biological wastewater treatment in Ag. Theodoroi (Municipality of Loutraki).

5) Donations, sponsorships and financial assistance to other charitable causes:

The value of our sponsoring plan for 2013 (including in-kind sponsorships) stood at €610,000. It was realised through all our subsidiaries and covered a broad range of social issues.

Indicative actions:

- Long-standing assistance to the Volos Branch of the ELEPAP organisation and annual “financial adoption" of one child without health insurance from the 12 children under ELEPAP’s care.
- Purchase of products and financial support of the Social Grocery Stores of the Fokida Regional Unit and the Municipality of Delphi.