Press releases

In addition to the fact that Telefónica is one of the Czech Republic’s most generous donors, its employees also help out. For the operator’s newest project, “We help change people’s stories”, their donations exceeded 420 thousand crowns, which was distributed among a total of 11 selected people with disabilities. In the two years since the internal collection was announced, O2 employees have helped several employees with disabilities and various non-profit organizations. Employees have contributed a total exceeding 2.3 million crowns to collections announced via the company intranet.

“It’s clear that we aren’t indifferent to the lives of those who have to deal with a wide variety of problems and misfortune. Through financial contributions towards the needs of specific people, we are not only helping them, but we are also showing them that the people around them are prepared to help,” says Jiří Šuchman, Director of External Relations, Telefónica and a member of the Supervisory Board of the O2 Foundation.

As part of the “We help change people’s stories” project, Telefónica employees had the opportunity to nominate close colleagues who need assistance, are physically disabled, and don’t have sufficient funds to buy aids or secure essential services to be recipients of an employee collection. Out of a total of 25 nominations, eleven were selected; these individuals received financial support from 690 of the operator’s employees. The required money, totaling CZK 420,000, was collected incredibly swiftly – in just under five days.

“We chose the name We help change people’s stories and I’m very pleased that this was accomplished quickly,” says Ivana Šatrová, O2 Foundation Manager, who then recounts one of the several positive reactions of individual employees, “I didn’t expect such strength and solidarity among TO2 employees. At the beginning I was somewhat skeptical when David received the necessary resources. After a few days, however, I saw a wave of solidarity among our employees and my skepticism disappeared.”

In this collection, Telefónica employees contributed to individuals for:

• A rehabilitation machine for Katka, who has suffered from children’s brain paralysis since birth.
• Ligament material to simplify life with a genetic skin disease for David and his family.
• A personal assistant to help Martin, who is deaf and partially blind.
• A mobility assistant to help Anička integrate into regular courses at elementary school.
• A Loped tricycle to enable Lukáš to be mobile outdoors in more than a closed vehicle.
• A rehabilitative baby-coach for Eliška, who has been suffering from spastic children’s brain paralysis since birth.
• A GPS device for Terezka, who has suffered from children’s brain paralysis and deafness since birth.
• A rehabilitative carriage for Eliška, who has been suffering from a brain disease connected with serious health difficulty since the age of two.
• A racing bicycle for Aleš, who lost a leg at the thigh to cancer.

Every year the O2 Foundation donates 20 million crowns to support people in all corners of our republic. In total (including the donations and contributions of the O2 Foundation), Telefónica has thus contributed over 30 million crowns to the public’s benefit and ranks among the top ten donors in the Top Corporate Philanthropists of 2009.