PharOS Can Do – Volunteering & Social Contribution Programs
SOCIETY
BUSINESS: 600 PRACTICES
TOPIC:
Initiative
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Objective Action
The objective of the PharOS Can‑Do initiative is to establish a structured, participatory, and people‑centered volunteering model within the company, which enhances PharOS’ social contribution and increases its overall social impact. The initiative aims to cultivate a culture of volunteering among employees, strengthen their engagement in social responsibility activities, and transform corporate social contribution from sporadic philanthropy into a systematic, experiential, and recurring practice.
Through the initiative, employees take an active role in identifying social needs, selecting partner organizations, designing actions, and implementing them. In this way, PharOS Can‑Do functions not only as a mechanism for social contribution but also as a tool for employee empowerment, internal cohesion, collaboration, and the development of social awareness.
Target Audience
The primary audience of the initiative is PharOS employees, who participate in the creation, organization, and implementation of volunteering actions. Through their participation, employees gain hands‑on exposure to social needs and act as ambassadors of social responsibility.
Indirect beneficiaries include the social groups and organizations supported through the initiative, such as children, people with disabilities, patients, families of children with autism, individuals facing social or economic challenges, school communities, healthcare organizations, and non‑profit entities. In this way, the initiative originates within the company but creates value for society at large.
Duration
The initiative was launched in 2021 and operates on a continuous annual cycle. Each PharOS Can‑Do team runs for 12 months (January–December), implementing actions throughout the year.
Description
PharOS Can‑Do was established in 2021 as PharOS’ internal volunteering group, aiming to design and implement social and environmental initiatives. Each year, a new team of employees is formed, operating for a 12‑month period and taking full responsibility for proposing, organizing, and implementing actions from scratch. The team coordinates with partner organizations, obtains management approval, informs employees, and supports the execution of each activity.
A key innovative feature of the initiative is its bottom‑up approach. Employees are not merely participants in centrally designed activities, but play an active role in planning, selecting themes, engaging with organizations, and execution. The annual renewal of the team enables broader employee participation, introduces fresh ideas, and spreads the culture of volunteering across different departments.
The initiative goes beyond donations or sponsorships by creating experiential engagement, as employees participate in blood donation drives, social actions, visits to organizations, creative workshops, initiatives supporting children and vulnerable groups, and awareness activities related to health and social inclusion. In this way, social responsibility becomes an integral part of everyday corporate culture.
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Impact on Society
The initiative has generated a significant social footprint through both financial and in‑kind contributions, as well as through employee engagement.
Between 2023–2025, at least €12,987.22 in financial and pharmaceutical contributions were recorded, excluding additional in‑kind support such as clothing, food, medicines (via Give‑Med), books, and participation in awareness events like Race for the Cure.
Indicative measurable outcomes include:
- Financial contributions to “The Smile of the Child” totaling €1,200 (2023), €1,908.95 (2024), and €1,207.40 (2025)
- Approximately €2,000 allocated to the “Special School” for educational materials and facility upgrades
- 79 units of blood collected (2024–2025), potentially supporting up to 237 people, along with bone marrow donor samples collected
- €300 donation and volunteering support through “Genesis Hellas” meal preparation
- €400.87 in medicines donated to “Porta Anoichti”
- €1,100 donation to “Fasma Agapis”
- Collection of 6 large boxes of books (2025) and 165 large bags of essential items for social distribution
The impact is multi‑dimensional: strengthening child protection, supporting people with disabilities, promoting health through blood donation, raising awareness on homelessness, and supporting vulnerable populations.
Initiative Location
The initiative is primarily implemented in Attica, at PharOS offices, partner facilities, schools, social structures, blood donation sites, and locations supporting awareness campaigns and vulnerable groups.
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Working with Organization
The initiative is supported by a strong network of collaborations with social institutions and non‑profit organizations. Indicative partnerships include:
- The Smile of the Child: ongoing collaboration through Easter and Christmas bazaars at PharOS offices, providing financial support to initiatives for children facing abuse, neglect, or social exclusion.
- Bloode, Agios Savvas Hospital, and Choose Life: collaboration for blood donation drives and bone marrow donor registry support, with direct and measurable health impact.
- Special Primary School of Heraklion, Attica: support for students with developmental disorders through the purchase of specialized educational materials, funding needs, and volunteer improvements of school facilities.
- Genesis Hellas: collaboration for meal preparation activities supporting people in need.
- Porta Anoichti: employee participation in creative workshops and donation of medicines for individuals with cerebral palsy.
- Fasma Agapis: charity sports initiative and financial support for children with autism and their families.
- Shedia / Invisible Tours: experiential awareness activity addressing homelessness, social exclusion, and social support structures.
- Great Meal of Love: participation in a meal organized by the association “Karkinaki”, supporting children with cancer.
- Citizens’ Solidarity Hub: collection of clothing and essential goods for distribution to homeless individuals and families in need.
These collaborations are selected to address key social needs, including child protection, health, disability, autism, homelessness, access to basic goods, and social inclusion.
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Workers Participation
Employee participation is at the core of the initiative. Each year, a new PharOS Can‑Do team is formed, while all employees are given the opportunity to participate. In many actions, employees’ families and friends also take part, extending the initiative’s social reach and spreading the culture of volunteering beyond the organization.
Active participation is reflected in measurable engagement:
- 21 employees participated in the maintenance and renovation of the “Special Primary School in Heraklion”, improving infrastructure and supporting students with special educational needs.
- In the “Great Meal of Love”, supporting organizations for children with cancer, 27 employees and 7 children participated.
- In collaboration with “Genesis Hellas”, 20 employees contributed to preparing meals for people in need.
- In the “Invisible Routes” experience by Shedia, 38 employees and 4 children participated, gaining experiential understanding of homelessness and social exclusion.
- At “Porta Anoichti”, 15 employees participated in workshops and interaction activities with individuals with disabilities.
- Finally, 65 employees participated in the charity sports event for “Fasma Agapis”, supporting children with autism and strengthening inclusion and community engagement.
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Benefits for Οrganization
The initiative strengthens PharOS’ corporate culture, increases employee engagement, and fosters a shared sense of purpose. It enhances the company’s reputation as a responsible social partner and strengthens relationships with communities and organizations.
PharOS Can‑Do functions as a culture‑building mechanism, empowering employees to actively contribute to the company’s social impact. The bottom‑up approach increases internal engagement, as ideas originate from employees themselves.
The initiative also supports employer branding, positioning PharOS as an organization that promotes participation, social awareness, and responsibility, while building long‑term partnerships and reinforcing its credibility as a responsible corporate citizen.
Connection with Global Goals
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