KP employees cum volunteers
Since September 2009, 255 volunteers from Kompania Piwowarska have executed 35 projects
of assisting people in need; the total funds involved amount to nearly Pln 350,000. The
employees have assisted over 3360 people as part of the company’s programme “Come Rain or
Shine”.
The voluntary programme ‘Come Rain or Shine’ is dedicated to empathic KP employees who may
submit as many as four projects per year to support specific organizations while KP supports the
initiative financially or technically.
This is how the company encourages its employees to become volunteers and covers the related
costs.
The history of voluntary work at KP
Kompania Piwowarska’s employees have been lending a helping hand for 11 years while the new
formula of the programme gives them an opportunity of long-term involvement. They used to
distribute Christmas gifts sponsored by the company. Two years ago a decision was made to use the
volunteers’ potential differently. Back in 2008, as part of ‘Santa’s Little Helpers” programme - the
original voluntary programme at KP – the employees completed 21 voluntary projects of total value
amounting to Pln 150,000.
Katarzyna Wilczewska, Public Affairs Manager for KP said:
“Previous years’ experience has shown that despite the hectic pace of life before Christmas, our
employees can spare the time to lend a helping hand to people in need. The idea of Santa’s Little
Helpers is of great appeal to our employees who want to help more than once a year. This is why
we have decided to implement the programme on a regular basis, once in a quarter of a year”.
Watch KP volunteers in action
Who can be assisted?
“Our company supports financially projects offering original and long-term solutions with special
emphasis placed on the biggest involvement on the part of the person submitting the project and
his/her colleagues,” explained Anna Czarkowska, member of the Programme Council which verifies
the projects and allocates funds. “We disregard initiatives which revolve solely on granting
financial assistance. Rather, we promote ideas relying chiefly on the employees’ voluntary
involvement.”
Projects completed as part of “Come Rain or Shine” have been targeted at children from
orphanages, nurseries and kindergartens, the unemployed, the poor, the disabled and victims of
flooding. The employees help by renovating facilities single-handedly, teaching foreign languages,
granting support in organizing classes with therapeutic dogs and horses, organizing events for
children and the handicapped or even becoming circus performers. All this is to help other people.
The volunteers comment on the programme
Piotr Klonowski, Sales Support Systems Administrator said:
“I encourage everyone to establish their own voluntary project; first and almost, it is great fun. It
is very satisfying and rewarding to realize that our efforts help children!”.
Agata Klimek, Trade Marketing Specialist: mainstream brands activation for KP, added:
“To me the sense of giving and sharing was of greatest importance. Let me quote a claim placed on
the leaflets handed out in the Three Cities (Gdańsk, Sopot, Gdynia): If you want to be happy you
need to give happiness to others; the joy we give finds its way back to our hearts.”
Szymon Seroka from the IT department added: "I am happy to be working among people who want
to do things for others and for a company supportive of such initiatives. They are a source of great
joy but most importantly, they make the enthusiasm and willingness to do something extra and
valuable contagious. "
Another edition
Despite the summer season, volunteers representing KP’s “Come Rain or Shine” programme are
busy! As part of the programme’s next edition, they are about to launch more initiatives worth
approximately Pln 45,000. This time KP employees will assist the Group of Vocational Schools for the
Mentally Challenged in Katowice where they will renovate the ceramics workshop. They will also
renovate 15 rooms owned by the Podlasie Region Catholic Spirituality Centre in Suraż. Some
assistance will also be granted to victims of flooding.
***
Notes to editors:
Kompania Piwowarska - leader of the Polish beer industry
Kompania Piwowarska is the largest brewer in Poland. Hundreds of years of experience in brewing,
state-of-the-art technology and rigorous adherence to the ‘world class manufacturing’ principles
guarantee the highest quality beer. The company's brand portfolio includes best selling Polish beers,
such as Tyskie, Żubr, Lech, Dębowe Mocne, Redd's as well as international premium brands: Pilsner
Urquell, Grolsch and Peroni Nastro Azzurro. Kompania Piwowarska, established in 1999, operates
three breweries (in Tychy, Poznań and Białystok) and fourteen depots across the country. Kompania
Piwowarska is engaged in a number of social programs, addressing poverty based social exclusion as
well as eduactional programs promoting responsibility and moderation in alcohol consumption. In
the fiscal year F10, ended on 31 March 2010, KP sales volume amounted to 14.6 mill hectoliters.
SABMiller – one of the largest brewers in the world
Kompania Piwowarska is part of SABMiller plc. SABMiller plc is one of the world's largest brewers
with brewing interests or distribution agreements across six continents. The group's wide portfolio
of brands includes premium international beers such as Grolsch, Miller Genuine Draft, Peroni Nastro
Azzurro and Pilsner Urquell, as well as market-leading local brands such as Aquila, Castle, Miller
Lite, Snow and Tyskie. SABMiller is also one of the largest Coca Cola bottlers outside the US. In the
year ended on 31 March 2010 the group reported US$ 4.3 billion in profit (EBITA) and group revenue
of US$ 26.3 billion. SABMiller plc is listed on the London and Johannesburg stock exchanges.
Further enquiries:
Wojciech Mrugalski
Communications Manager
KOMPANIA PIWOWARSKA SA
Wojciech.mrugalski@kp.sabmiller.com
Tel + 48 61 667 7667
Cell phone + 48 601 91 11 44
Fax + 48 61 667 7850