O2 Employees Support Sheltered Workshops by Buying Christmas Gifts from Them
This year, sheltered workshops were selling their products in twelve Telefónica buildings all over the Czech Republic. The total cash sales of sheltered workshops reached over CZK 332,000.
Telefónica focuses on long-term systematic support of disadvantaged people. It has already become a tradition to organize Christmas fairs where products of sheltered workshops and Fair Trade products are offered during the festive season. This year, the products were sold in twelve Telefónica buildings all over the Czech Republic. Almost 7,200 employees could buy original products there. The total sales of the sheltered workshops were over CZK 332,000, which is CZK 80,000 more than in the previous year.
In Telefónica, the Christmas fairs have been organized by its O2 Foundation since 2006. Sixty sheltered workshops were invited to participate. The O2 employees, who purchased Christmas gifts made by people with physical or mental handicaps, supported the employment of handicapped people. By purchasing Fair Trade products, they supported work of farmers in the developing countries, and helped advocate fair business as well as the fight against child labour and poverty. Since 2006, the O2 employees spent more than CZK 1.5 million for the products purchased during Easter and Christmas fairs.
"Just like in the previous years, this year’s O2 Christmas is about charity. Our employees are engaged in these activities as company volunteers, they have agreed that the money they save by leaving out Christmas merry-making should be rather given out to those who need it. We are thrilled that they are increasingly interested in the fairs, which also makes the fairs more successful and the earnings that go to the needy ones increase,” says Jiří Šuchman, Director for External Affairs, Telefónica, and member of the Board of Trustees of the O2 Foundation.
Apart from taking part in the regular Christmas and Easter sheltered workshops and Fair Trade fairs, O2 employees can find other ways to help as well. For example in the Donate Blood with O2 project, more than 800 employees donated almost 300 litres of blood in 2008.
The employees may support individual projects of the O2 Foundation either financially, or by giving their own time. Employee support is key for the O2 Foundation. This year, employees donated 4,000 hours and almost CZK 1.5 million to support the projects run by the O2 Foundation. The highest amount, about CZK 500,000, helped victims of this year’s floods.
