Reports

Our dedicated team of analysts from Large Corporates (LC) spent a whole day at Caritas' “Am Himmel” day centre, a day center for people with disabilities (e.g. autism or down syndrome). By building a much-needed fence around an orchard, this event highlighted our dedication to community service and provided a valuable team-building and collaboration experience. It was an incredibly rewarding experience, as we rolled up our sleeves and got hands-on with gardening work and building a fence.

A Day of Purpose and Impact: With a team of eleven participants, we arrived early and motivated. The primary goal of this project was to create a safe and secure environment against wild boars, ensuring that the people can enjoy outdoor activities safely.

The Inspiration Behind the Initiative: This project originated from an empowerment workshop of our analysts. They identified a unique opportunity to combine team building with community support, recognizing that working together on a meaningful project could strengthen our team dynamics through collaboration while making a positive impact.

Donating and Collaborating Hand in Hand: Throughout the day, team members from different industry teams and countries collaborated with a common goal. Not only did we donate the raw materials for the fence, but we also participated actively in its construction. Tasks included digging post holes, setting up fence posts, and attaching the fencing material. Additionally we helped with weed disposal and collecting fallen fruits.

Looking Ahead: Inspired by the success of this event we encourage everyone to join similar occasions to support. Together we can achieve more and make a lasting impact on the lives of those who need it most.

A huge thank you to everyone who participated and to Caritas for having us. We’re looking forward to more opportunities to make a positive impact together!

Author: Michael Seltenreich

The Verein NL 40 in Kalvarienberggasse is a collaboration of experts from the fields of health, education, communication, social work, therapy, integration, as well as arts and culture. Their mission is to holistically support individuals. With 140 volunteers, they are fully engaged, particularly in facilitating integration and coping for refugee children as best as possible.

For this reason, the Bond Trading and Sales Team decided to give the nursery a fresh coat of paint and take some of the workload off their hands. Equipped with paint, brushes, ladders, masking tape, and team spirit, and under the guidance of Sonja Rappold, one of the project leaders at NL40, they got to work on June 22, 2024. In total, 7 rooms were completely repainted. Teams were divided according to expertise. This not only made them as efficient as possible but also provided a learning effect among the less experienced painters.

No spot or corner was left untouched. Despite the summery temperatures, a bead of sweat occasionally dripped down someone’s brow. The very hospitable refreshments, however, provided more pleasure than the work. After the paint had dried, the floor was cleaned, and waste was removed, the team enjoyed the beautiful garden with a drink.

Author: Goran Hoblaj

On the 9th of July, the Bundesgärten Wien and Schatzhaus Österreich witnessed the enthusiasm and dedication of our Group Markets Business Development team. This event was organized to support and help maintain the beautiful gardens. The day was filled with hard work, team spirit, and learning, leaving us with a sense of accomplishment and greater environmental awareness.

Our primary task was plucking weeds to ensure the gardens looked clean and the flowers could shine. We encountered a few humorous moments, especially when some of us couldn’t quite distinguish between weeds and flowers—resulting in potentially fewer flowers than intended! This seemingly simple task was quite demanding also due to the midday sun, which made the physical labor more intense. Despite the challenging conditions, the team's spirit remained high, and we enjoyed the experience of working together outside the usual office environment. The aprons provided by the gardens added a touch of humor and unity to our group. The shared effort and mutual support turned the hard work into a bonding experience, enhancing our team spirit and cooperation.

After completing our tasks, we treated ourselves to cold drinks, which were a welcome relief from the heat. This was followed by a guided tour of the gardens. The tour was not only a reward for our hard work but also an educational experience. We learned about the history of the gardens, their various plant species, and the importance of maintaining such green spaces in urban areas.

The combination of hard work, fun, and education made the day memorable and fulfilling. We look forward to future opportunities to engage in similar activities, knowing the positive impact they have on our environment and our team.

Author: Zuzana Šebová

"Roll up your sleeves" was the motto for the Banking Recruiting Team on 16 May in collaboration with the Bundesgärten Wien and Schatzhaus Österreich. Equipped with gardening gloves, sturdy shoes and professional gardener's aprons, the 16 recruiters headed out into the garden.

Under the guidance of Daniel Lang, who is responsible for the botanical collection at the Belvedere Garden, among other things, they worked hard at three different stations.

Whether plucking weeds, preparing a bed for planting or dusting the tables in the greenhouse - our recruiters didn't hesitate to get their hands dirty.

After the work was done, there was a special guided tour during which a lot of interesting facts about the plants in the Belvedere Garden were explained. At the end, each of the volunteers was given their own chilli plant to take home.

Working as a team to put an end to the growing weeds

Erste Group Services - Accounting Subsidiaries Leasing

A team event was once again on the agenda in 2024, but it was to be a little different from previous years: We put our hands in the service of a good cause. At Erste Time Bank, we looked at a list of possibilities and quickly decided in favour of gardening in the Jewish cemetery in Vienna-Währing - a place steeped in history.

This Jewish cemetery was opened in 1784 and closed again after 100 years, as it was no longer allowed to be located within the city due to Vienna's constant growth and current hygiene regulations. Like other religious communities, the Jews were provided with a new burial site at the newly opened Central Cemetery. Many well-known builders and patrons of some Ringstrasse palaces rested or still rest in the old cemetery. During the Nazi era, the cemetery in Währing was expropriated and transferred to the City of Vienna.

At the request of the Jewish Council of Elders, some of the bodies of important members of the community were moved to the Central Cemetery in 1941. Many graves had to make way for an air raid shelter that was never completed. Gravestones were knocked over, crypts were opened and metal was removed from the gravestones and melted down. After the Second World War, the city of Vienna returned the cemetery to the Jewish Community, except for the part where the Arthur Schnitzler-Hof stands today. Due to the many Jews who died in the Holocaust or left the country, there were hardly any relatives left to look after the graves. As a result, the cemetery fell into disrepair over the decades.

In the 2000s, restoration work slowly began again.The "Save the Jewish Cemetery Währing" association is currently in charge of the restoration. It is dependent on help from the public sector and private donations.In May, our group made a small contribution:

Equipped with gloves and various gardening tools, we tackled the wildly growing greenery on some of the graves.The training was simple - evergreens stay in the ground or are replanted, everything else has to go. It turned out that the following question was asked again and again: Is that an evergreen or a weed growing there?Well, not everyone is a gardener!So we did manage to give some of the graves a new lease of life. Smaller fallen branches ended up in the wheelbarrow, the larger ones were dragged to the collection point as they were. Some of us not only tended to graves on this day, but also refreshed our botanical knowledge. After finishing our work, we also had a very interesting guided tour of the cemetery. (Note: public tours take place every second Sunday of the month) In the end, it was not only a time full of greenery and gravestones, but also an experience that did not leave us cold.

Author: Erika Sikk

As part of the Navigator programme, we were asked to carry out a social/volunteering project that not only follows the CSR/ESG concept, but more importantly, can make a meaningful impact within the communities we serve. We decided for the “Train of Hope” project, a centre for Ukrainian refugees, where we all committed to take a few hours in our day to physically help out in their afternoon/evening activites.

The center provides essential support and advice to refugees to help them rebuild their lives, adapt to new situations, and find the best way to contribute actively to the community they live in. Some of the center’s services include a cafeteria, community kitchen, clothing donation and distribution programme, dance, painting and language classes, and play activities for children.

Upon our arrival in the center, we were greeted with warm smiles and open arms. One of the volunteers (who is currently a retiree, and helps out regularly) gave us a tour of the center’s facilities and explained the different programs and services they offer. It was inspiring to see the dedication and passion of the volunteers and the positive impact they have on the lives of the refugees.

Our supporting roles on the day started with the packaging and sorting of donated items/clothes, building of IKEA furniture and preparing food for dinner. As the evening came, we helped in the serving of meals and beverages, and cleaning the dishes after the service.

Our visit to the refugee community centre was a humbling and rewarding experience. We were able to make a small but meaningful impact on the lives of those who have endured so much and left with a renewed sense of appreciation and empathy. We strongly encourage everyone to visit this community centre and support either via donations or by lending a helping hand, especially during the weekend.

Our day in Salzburg:

To make this day a success, preparation was essential. To this end, each team member was assigned a task. These included documenting the day, making reservations, creating name badges, organising goody bags and much more. Our get-together with all participants took place in the Akropolis restaurant. The first few moments were filled with slight shyness and hesitation, but thanks to the cheerful nature of all those present, this gave way to a cheerful and relaxed atmosphere after a few minutes. We chatted extensively over dinner and found one or two things in common. Afterwards, we all marched together to the bowling alley. Thankfully, the hall had opened early for all of us. As soon as the groups were formed, the first pins were already flying. After 2 hours of bowling without a break, it was unfortunately time to leave.

Feedback from the organisation:

On behalf of our residents, I would like to say a big thank you for the wonderful afternoon you organised for us. The meal together at Akropolis was a wonderful opportunity to create an open and relaxed atmosphere in which our residents quickly felt at ease. We really enjoyed the delicious food and the open, pleasant company. We all had a fantastic time bowling afterwards and it was touching to see how wonderful it can be when inclusion is actively practised. We were deeply impressed by the way you warmly welcomed and integrated our residents. They are still talking about this special day and the great gift they received from you. Many thanks also from my side for the excellent organisation. My team and I really enjoyed being part of this event and we would be delighted to be part of a repeat performance.Thank you again for everything!

Feedback from a colleague at the end of a successful day:

‘I wanted to thank you all for today. It was certainly one of the most valuable days in my 11 years at the bank and it was really cool to spend it with you.’

Conclusion:

Everyone from our NAVI programme was able to take something away from this day for their personal development. The impressions we were able to gather on this day showed us how important inclusion and social commitment are. Our group would like to keep in touch with the organisation and all participants and we would be happy to do more activities together.

Acknowledgements:

Many thanks to everyone who supported us with the realisation. We would like to express our special thanks to Time Bank and the NAVI company, without whose help the realisation of our project would not have been possible.

Author: Hoppel Nicole

Thanks to the voluntary commitment of ErsteColors, the LGBTIQ+ network of Erste Bank and Sparkasse employees, the atmosphere in the Obdach Sautergasse was transformed into an exuberant carnival party.

Preparations began early in the morning to decorate the room with balloons, garlands and lanterns, setting the stage for an unforgettable party. During the afternoon, visitors were treated to a delicious carnival buffet, which included traditional favourites such as sausages with various side dishes as well as tempting pastries and snacks.

Sabine Danzinger, team leader at the Obdach Sautergasse, emphasised how important relaxing moments are for people who are confronted with the challenges of homelessness. Events such as the carnival party are not only intended to provide warmth and food during the winter months, but also to convey a sense of camaraderie and appreciation for the people who make use of the homelessness support services.

Mirsad Aljusevic, Diversity Officer at Erste Group Bank AG, emphasised the importance of community involvement and giving to those in need as key elements of team building.

The shared commitment shows the power of compassion and solidarity to promote joy and inclusion in the community. Celebrating the carnival together reminded both volunteers and visitors of the importance of empathy and support in creating a brighter and more inclusive society.

Part of the Navigator programme is to support a social project as a group.

For our group, it was not clear from the outset what we wanted to do and achieve as a team. However, with the help of Time Bank, we quickly found a great project that was also possible for the large number of participants.

Jugend am Werk is a non-profit organisation that we wanted to support with its important topic of giving young people a chance. And sometimes it's as simple as colouring in. Participants travelled from different parts of Austria to achieve something together as a team.

The aim was to re-colour the dining/living room of a shared flat. At the start, the shared flat was masked off by our team. With a lot of fun and dedication, we gave the living room a new splendour with a sunny yellow wall and beautiful white walls. After finally cleaning the floor of the odd splash of paint, we were invited for a little refreshment. After we had carried all the furniture into the living room, we were also able to test the couch.

This morning once again taught us all how to colour, but above all showed us how easy it can be to help.

Author: Elisabeth Daniel

Sabine Eger, who has worked for Erste Bank for more than 35 years as a service employee behind the teller counter, had the wonderful idea of doing something good for our fellow human beings. It didn't take long for the idea of cooking for the homeless to take root and germinate among us colleagues at the Jedlersdorf branch. We enthusiastically embraced Sabine's idea to help people who are marginalised in our society to believe in themselves by providing them with a warm meal and compassion for their situation.

After making contact with the Gruft, we set about drawing up a plan. We were concerned with questions such as: Which dishes are good and quick for us as amateur cooks to prepare? What dishes and, above all, what quantities of food/ingredients are needed for 160 people? After a joint discussion, we agreed on cheese spaetzle with bacon and onion and egg dumplings as a vegetarian alternative. Fresh salad as a side dish and ready-made cake in the form of apricot and coffee roulades for dessert. We adapted the recipes for 160 people and drew up a shopping list.

No sooner said than done.

On Saturday 17 February at 09:30, the time had come. Sabine Eger and Brigitte Haumer delivered the food purchased from the wholesaler to Barnabitengasse 12a. Our 7-strong #glaubandich team, consisting of 2 top advisors, 2 classic advisors, 1 service advisor and 2 volunteer daughters from the family, immediately got to work. Under the absolutely humorous and loving instruction of Mrs Birgit, a volunteer at the Gruft, we got down to business very quickly. Equipped with shoe covers, disposable gloves and hairnets, we started cooking.

Slowly but steadily, the smell of our 48 kilograms of freshly prepared cheese spaetzle spread throughout the kitchen. The smell of the bacon and onions in particular triggered curious glances from the dining room to us in the kitchen. The salad was cleaned, washed and marinated. The cheese spaetzle and egg dumplings were ready and garnished with chives. The dessert was cut into portions and prepared on trays.

12.30 pm - Food is served. The security staff at the Gruft let the first 80 people line up at the counter. Every single person thanked us when they received their meal. It gave us a warm and good feeling to have fed someone with a warm and good meal today. After around 100 meals had been handed out, all the homeless people were fed and it was time for seconds. Some went back for seconds and praised us for the flavour of the food.

14:30 - Food distribution finished. The visibly full and satisfied guests thanked us with a big round of applause. Exhausted but visibly satisfied, we also took some of our cooked late-night snacks and had lunch in the staff social rooms.

This day strengthened us as a team, but above all brought us closer to our fellow human beings.

We are grateful.

Grateful that we as a team were able to prepare this large quantity of food in time.

Grateful that we prepared a good hot meal for so many people and fed them.

Grateful that it tasted really good and that it worked perfectly despite being our first time as chefs.

Author: Thomas Reschling

As a farewell gift on the occasion of my retirement, I asked my colleagues from OU 395/Social Banking Erste Bank for a meaningful day together. Due to the pandemic, this day only took us to the Sterntalerhof in Loipersdorf in October 2023.

As soon as we arrived, we were warmly welcomed by the manager of Sterntalerhof, Mr Jankovits. We were shown around the premises and invited to a lovingly prepared breakfast. In the meantime, the history and how the Sterntalerhof works was explained to us. Sterntalerhof is a place for children suffering from a life-limiting illness and their families. Families who do not know how long they will have a tomorrow together and who will soon have to say goodbye to a loved one. The affected children, parents and also siblings, who may have experienced a lack of attention, are given time here for three weeks to recover, to bring structure into the "other" life, to experience themselves as a family again.

It is a place of confidence, security and relaxation for all family members. The Sterntalerhof is financed exclusively through private support and donations. Each family makes a contribution in the amount that they can afford. No family is turned away because it is not financially affordable for them. The volunteers who sign up for work at Sterntalerhof have no contact with the families concerned, which means that out of respect for the families, volunteer work is only possible on the weekends between two cycles when no families are present.

There are currently three separate accommodation units available for 3 families. Fresh meals are cooked for the families on site with lots of love. (We were able to see this for ourselves). Meals are eaten together with the staff in the large but very cosy kitchen with the large dining table. There are also lovingly designed retreats for the children, such as cosy benches and snug corners with blankets.

On the way to our "workplace", we walk through the garden and into the therapy animals' stables. There are mainly horses, goats, sheep and I also saw a donkey. I have never seen a stable that is so neatly organised and structured. The garden is also a perfectionist's dream. I am told that structure and order are very important for these families.

Yes - and then we get started. Our group of 8 people is divided into 3 small groups. We take on cleaning work on the terraces of the three flats. We set to work with mops, brooms, water hoses and brushes. We are soon soaking wet ourselves, but the floor, the windows and the outside blinds are sparkling clean. The second group does woodwork. They tirelessly cut, hammer and paint the boards for a new barn. The third group assembles and screws the panels dedicated to the many private donors with great dexterity. Our hard work is briefly interrupted by a delicious lunch. The cook has conjured up delicious home cooking for us, as well as sweets for dessert.

Strengthened by this, we all finish our work properly and put all the equipment back in its place. On the way there, I notice the little chapel in the garden. My curiosity quickly gives way to a feeling of humility and dismay. A star has been mounted on the ceiling of this chapel for every child who was at Sterntalerhof and is unfortunately no longer with us, i.e. a star child. I also find flowers, candles and small memorial stones for star children under the trees in the garden. Despite the depressing subject matter that the Sterntalerhof faces here, we are still left with a feeling of confidence, warmth, dignity, joie de vivre, naturalness, loving care and the knowledge that great help is being provided here for affected families.

Author: Isabella Schopf

Cooking event for the managers of OE 446 EBOe, Remote Sales & Service department

Obdach Sautergasse, 17.11.2023

"Doing a lot with little effort". Oliver Lando's statement about the Social Day organised by Erste Bank's cookery group (Remote Sales & Service) at Fonds Soziales Wien Obdach (FSW Obdach) hits the mark. Just like the statement by his colleague Georg Schneider: "vüü Fleisch". The department conjured up delicious roasts from a total of 25kg of minced meat. The lovingly prepared menu was rounded off with parade soup to warm up, mashed potatoes and cucumber salad as side dishes and pudding and cake as a sweet finish.

"It ran like clockwork, everyone knew what to do and we chatted while we worked, the atmosphere was great! I talked a lot about our everyday life in the warming centre. The morning flew by and by 12.30 pm we had served 120 portions to the visitors of the warming centre," reports the team leader of the facility, Sabine Danzinger, enthusiastically. The delicious aroma pushed the warming centre to its capacity limits and did far more for the guests of FSW Obdach than fill their bellies at lunchtime.

To keep their strength up, the members of the cookery group repeatedly fortified themselves with their common elixir: cola (zero, light, normal and even with bull), which was presented to us as a team drink with much laughter and a wink. But it wasn't just the joy of working together and interest in the work of the Wärmestube team that was palpable on the day, but also the desire to support the organisation in the long term. As a result, the hard-working chefs from Erste Bank are now helping the Sautergasse shelter to cook more practically, efficiently and with better equipment. Thank you for your thoughtful gifts in the form of two large knives, an apple masher, a garlic press, a pasta ladle, three large chopping boards and a hand blender! 😊

Because everyone present enjoyed the day together so much, two follow-up dates were arranged in spring 2024 to keep the Obdach Sautergasse alive before it closes its doors at the end of April (only for the summer). All in all, the day together was, as we at FSW Obdach agree with Koch-Banker Robert Wolmerstofer: "Simply Leiwand!

The Start with a Friend (SwaF) association has set itself the goal of helping to create an inclusive society in which all people have equal rights and social participation - regardless of their origin. That immigration is understood as an opportunity and diversity, and that this creates new impulses for social coexistence and successful integration in education and work, which brings economic benefits.

Why me?

I am white, privileged, my son is grown up, I wanted to spend my time meaningfully and give back to society. To be honest, I had reservations and wanted to overcome them. At first, I volunteered at the food bank for refugees from Ukraine.

Why now?

I am convinced that the geopolitical situation will cause many more refugees to come to our country because they have to leave their country due to war or a lack of food. Even if we close our eyes to it, it will happen.

How did I get involved with SwaF?

After I joined Erste Digital in September 2022, I received an email from Time Bank a short time later. You could also donate something other than money. This made me curious and after a short research I signed up for SwaF on the volunteer platform.

What do I do at SwaF?

I take care of the blog and help to give people a platform. People from the refugee community and from the team. I write the stories that people tell me about their lives, their flight, friendships, culture and religion.
This should also help to make the association better known, attract new sponsors to the association or encourage companies to organise CSR events with the SwaF association.

Every single encounter is a gift. There are negative stories in the (social) media about refugees. I have only experienced beautiful moments so far. SwaF is not about the poor refugees, but about making friends. It's about having a good time together and talking to each other instead of about each other. We organise sporting events, go hiking together, cook together and party together - at eye level! The 5th anniversary celebration took place just last weekend. It was a celebration of friendship and peace, despite the fact that the geopolitical situation in the Middle East was of course very much in the spotlight, we danced and celebrated together.

Author: Elisabeth Petracs

"It was also nice to see people volunteering to help people in need"

Part of the Navigator programme is to carry out a social project in line with the CSR/ESG concept. It quickly became clear to our team that we wanted to take up a topic that had been forgotten in recent months - we wanted to dedicate our time to the Ukraine Day Centre of the Train of Hope.

Fundraising campaign

As part of the preparations for our social project, the team came up with the idea of not only supporting the Ukraine Centre with our personal commitment on one day, but also launching a fundraising campaign in advance to support the institute with urgently needed food, clothing, toys and baby supplies. Together with TimeBank, we were able to organise a donation campaign on campus in September 2023, in which employees made voluntary donations. In the end, 19 donation boxes were handed over to Train of Hope.

Our day at the Ukraine Centre

Despite the fact that the participants in our Navigator programme come from different parts of Austria, all but two of them were absent due to illness.

On 20.10.2023 the time had come: our social day at the Ukraine Day Centre began. As soon as we had stowed away our personal belongings, we got straight down to work and had to collect a donation from the neighbouring building as quickly as possible. This was followed by a brief introduction to the centre and the associated areas.

The whole team was impressed by the size and complexity of the Ukraine Centre and by the fact that the entire organisation, which is carried out by two extremely dedicated women, as well as all the other work that has to be done in-house on a daily basis, is done almost exclusively by volunteers.

The centre includes a daytime café, a small library, a clothes boutique and many opportunities to play and learn with children. Lunch and dinner are served and further education and yoga courses are also held. It quickly became clear where everyone would like to help out and the tasks were distributed. Most of the hands were needed in the kitchen, serving food and in donation logistics.

Conclusion

During all these tasks, we were also able to have one or two conversations with the volunteers and those responsible for the day centre, as well as with some refugees. The conclusion was: this is about working together, refugees help in every department at the centre, whether it's the kitchen, handing out donations, providing information at reception or helping with courses such as German: German courses. Helping hands from volunteers are always needed and urgently required.

Our afternoon was not only characterised by a lot of work and intensive, thought-provoking conversations, but also by laughter, fun and a great time with our team and the helpers there.

"At first we weren't sure how we were going to manage it, as there was always another task coming up, but in the end we managed it as a team and completed all the tasks we were set. Dinner was ready on time :)"

Author: Nicolas Wallner & Sophie Atzenhofer

On 22 June 2023, the participants of Erste Group's Group Graduate Programme (GGP) met in Obdach Favorita for a transformative volunteering experience. They were between 22 and 28 years old and represented five countries. In the 1.5 years that they met monthly, they gained a solid understanding of the intricacies of banking. However, the GGP team leader, Elisabeth Schüller, was looking for a deeper connection beyond the professional sphere and led the participants to the SAD+ event.

The day began with an interactive workshop led by Franz Haberl, Rüdiger Johänntgen and Doris Wallner from FSW Obdach, which was held in English to cater for the different backgrounds of the participants. This workshop was a combination of theoretical insights and the powerful role-play exercise "Take a step forward...", which offered deep insights into the social challenges that many homeless people face.

The core of the SAD+ in Obdach Vienna was to help GGP participants, who are emerging leaders, understand the realities of people from different economic backgrounds. The GGP participants tackled topics that are not covered in their regular education and shared personal stories about family, experiences of marginalisation and much more.

"The special thing about this day was our involvement in the preparations for the Forum Obdach summer party." Together with former homeless people, the GGP participants worked on various tasks, shared meals, played table football, attended a theatre performance and contributed to the community weaving project "Common Ground".

Quotes that resonate:

"I will always treasure this day in my heart." - Zahra from Vienna
"I learnt so much about homelessness today, but also about myself and my colleagues." - Reka from Hungary
"I had to take a minute and go for a little walk to process the information and experiences of the day - it moved me deeply." - Lucija from Croatia

In recognition of their participation, Erste Group generously donated €2,500, emphasising the collaborative spirit of the day. To summarise, the SAD+ event was a journey of encounter, understanding and connection. It transcended the boundaries of banking and provided an opportunity to broaden perspectives, foster compassion and contribute to positive social change.

I always wanted to make a meaningful contribution in the field of volunteering...A few years ago I had the opportunity to attend the Life, Death and Bereavement Support Course through Time Bank. This also included a work placement in a Caritas facility. After I visited ladies in the home again and again for over a year to chat with them or play games, Corona made the visits partly impossible or made this activity more difficult. That was the end of this interesting time. But somehow I still wanted to find something as a balance to my office job after the children became more independent. I was looking for something where I could get more involved and help in a meaningful way.

Because of my son's civilian service with the Johanniter, I had the idea - just like him - to attend the paramedic course and take the state-approved exam. This taught me a lot of important things about health and first aid. The services mainly include ambulance transports, but also rescue missions and ambulance services (= taking care of a first aid stand at big events). Now I always volunteer for these services and find it a good balance to my sedentary office work. I find it especially nice when I am assigned to duty together with my son.

Es gibt einmal im Jahr einen berufsbegleitenden Kurs bei den Johannitern, den ich wärmstens empfehlen kann.

Author: Birgit Artner

The ÖHTB is the Austrian aid organization for the deafblind and severely hearing and visually impaired. The aim of the institution is to support the active participation in public life of people with disabilities.

The social project of our Navigator 2.0 course was used to support this relief organization. About 190 people are cared for in the fully assisted living of the ÖHTB. 11 of them live in a shared apartment, whose garden we were allowed to redesign as part of our project.

A tree including roots was removed, overgrown plants were decimated, the lawn was brought up to scratch, a raised bed was built and vegetables, herbs and flowers were procured and planted.

Despite the effort and the heat, the day was a great success and our team enjoyed it very much. We were warmly welcomed and it was noticeable with what enthusiasm the caregivers do their job in the WG.

The lunch break was spent together and when the residents came home there was homemade cake for everyone and a nice chat as well as our #Glaubandich moment in which we could observe the enthusiasm of the residents.

Author: Iris Haidvogl

"Have a big heart to love unconditionally and a broad mind to embrace the differences that make each of us unique." -D.B. Harrop

At the latest when two existing teams are merged into one, it is time for a teambuilding event. This is exactly what happened on the trading floor and good ideas were needed.
From B for bowling to H for hiking, many suggestions were made, but in the end we ended up with Z for zoo. The new team was expanded by a colourful group of impaired people who are cared for by Lebenshilfe. It quickly became clear that we also wanted to do something good in the course of our event. Time Bank had assured us that they would cover the costs, as our employer provided us with the necessary working time.

So on 16.6.2023, we met with 13 sheltered persons and 3 Lebenshilfe employees at Schönbrunn Zoo. In bright sunshine, we went from enclosure to enclosure, where we were even allowed to attend a short refeeding of the maned seals. Our ladder truck with chilled drinks and snacks for everyone was pulled by Peter, who took great pleasure in it. As a token of our gratitude, he was presented with a gift from the Erste Bank Leisure and Sports Club. After a snack of sausage and cheese sandwiches, apples and sandwiches, we toured the giraffe house, where we were able to see the offspring, and ended our tour at the reptile house. As a farewell, we handed out goodie bags to our new friends, which we were able to fill generously with support from Erste Group, Gründer Center, Freizeit- und Sport-Verein, FLiP, EAM and Nivea Club.

What did we take away from this event?

Kurt Gerhold: "For me, a teambuilding social project is a great way to foster cooperation and team spirit in a group while taking social responsibility."

We would like to thank everyone who helped us to give people with disabilities an unforgettable afternoon -
first and foremost Sabine Sturm from Time Bank, who gave us advice and support.

Next year we would like to have an outing with the same participants to put a smile on their faces again.

Author: Sabine Adametz

We are a group of enthusiasts from DATA and Data2Business divisions who were looking forward for an initiative to contribute to a human cause and make someone’s day better. Earlier this year with the help of Time Bank team we wеre connected to the community in VinziRast-CortiHaus. A private house with a mission to accommodate homeless people with short and long term opportunities, with no focus on nationalities, skin color, gender or other. They have formed a society where people feel home and secured, celebrate together and develop a tolerance to each other and to the world around them.

On March 29^th, 2023 we joined our forces to renovate part of the common space of the house for permanent living – painting the stairwell on one floor. The activities included cleaning of the walls and the ceiling, packing the windows, doors and lamps, painting everything and leaving the place as before but refreshed. Our group is formed of colleagues from the whole division who wеre working all together to one common project for first time. It was great to see how quickly everybody found their own task to do and utilized the time and resources in maximum. The team spirit and synergy wеre amazing to observe from the very first moment until the end. While listening to music, talking, sharing stories, joking and laughing, the mission was accomplished.
During the day, many of the people from the apartments ware coming and leaving, and all of them were expressing their gratitude for the nicer place they will have.

After spending the day in such place for humanity, we felt engaged, accomplished and ready for the next opportunity to come.

Author: Filipka Nikolova

Taras Demyanets moved to Vienna from Ukraine 22 years ago to work at Erste Group. Today he leads the Enterprise Architecture team at Erste Digital.

In his free time, he helps Ukrainians who fled the war at the Caritas day center in the Erste Tower. He translates, advises, above all listens and encourages. He wants to be a role model for humanity for his sons and teach them critical thinking.

Taras Demyanets: “I feel connected to my country of birth and feel an obligation to help. I am using every free minute I have to answer questions in Ukrainian at the Caritas day centre – for example, about where to get support or how to fill out forms. But above all, I am listening. I am very moved by those people’s plight, their stories and what they had to go through. Many of the refugees can no longer return to their hometowns, many houses are ruined. The people I talk to are very grateful for a sympathetic ear, and I am glad that I can at least do that for them.”

One challenge follows another, not only professionally, but also privately. The professional is clear. In order to earn a living, I dedicate a large part of my life to the continuation and upswing of our company. I look for ways and solutions to master the challenges I face in the best possible way. Yes, I am not always happy with everything that comes my way, but I am happy to work in a company where there is such a high degree of flexibility. Why am I telling you about this? Because it is precisely this company that allows me to be socially involved.

I dedicate a considerable part of my free time to the Old Catholic Diakonie Austria. As chairman, I am responsible for the activities and projects of the association. There are people like you and me, those who work but whose earnings are not enough to afford life, others who have lost their jobs, but there are also those who have been driven out of their homes or had to flee because of a war. Every request I receive from people in need is strictly examined by me before the board of directors decides on the amount and type of support. We are currently looking after 4 Iranians, 1 Afghan, 2 Syrians and 5 people from Ukraine.

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, I and my colleague Manuela Winkler have helped to find accommodation for more than 270 people. We are looking after two families in Styria. 11 used iPads (ERSTE Group) were made available to Ukrainian young people via the crisis team of the University of Vienna for their preparation for the Matura. Around 300 Easter greetings were distributed to Ukrainian transients at the Caritas day centre in the Erste Tower, an excursion to the Prater was organised and thanks to Erste Stiftung, 6,000 exercise books were handed over to about 1,000 Ukrainian pupils at the start of the new school year, a total of about 1025 kg of school materials worth about € 12,000.

As part of a St. Nicholas celebration organized by the Ukrainian school in Vienna, 1000 chocolate Santa Clauses made from Fairtrade cocoa, which we had organized, were distributed to the children. Ms. Winkler and I organized a Christmas tree for our protégés in Styria for Christmas, including decorations, food and, above all, winter shoes.

On 24 December, refugees celebrated Christmas Eve with me in the parish hall of the Old Catholic Diakonie in Baden. In May 2023, we will organise a trip to the Familypark in St. Margareten in Burgenland with mainly Ukrainian refugee children.

In short, there is a lot to do, and I am glad to be able to keep raising funds to give a little hope to the poor or displaced.

Author:Markus Stany

In the course of the Navigator 2.0 course 2022, our 7-member team decided to support the START UP association.

Our team decided to support the START UP association both financially and on two days with our own work force.

In order to support as efficiently as possible, we helped in two "Foodpoint" branches (Floridsdorf and Penzing) on two days (08.10. and 22.10.2022) - put away shelves, sorted and sorted out goods in the warehouse and in the market.

The fact that the offer of the START UP association is more urgently needed than ever, especially in very challenging times with pandemic, high inflation and strongly rising energy prices, is shown by the continuously strongly increasing membership figures of the association (2019: approx. 21,000 members, 2022: approx. 63,000 members!).

Financial support was organised on the one hand through an appeal for donations by team members among acquaintances, friends and family, and on the other hand through a charity event organised by the Group Treasury Markets division on 30 November 2022.

A total of EUR 3,000 was donated, which was a very respectable amount.

The donations were used for so-called "rescue boxes", which were distributed directly by the START UP association to families in particular need.

In addition, part of the donation will also be used for the purchase of a new truck, which is urgently needed for the collection of the food.

For our team, the "look behind the scenes" of Vienna's social markets was very impressive and will be another piece of the puzzle of our social compass in our further life.

Autor: Dominik Fian

NAVIGATOR 2.0 Social Project

In the course of the NAVIGATOR 2.0: 2022, our group started looking for a social project that can be carried out in English due to international participants, that is suitable for about 10 people and that is also feasible on grey November days.

The collective decision fell on VinziRast - an independent, open community with the mission to offer homeless people a home, warmth and security in community.

The VinziRast-Lokal mittendrin is part of the house VinziRast-mittendrin - an innovative social housing project where formerly homeless people, refugees and students live. This community could hardly be more diverse: People of different life stories, cultures and age groups meet here and enrich each other.

The restaurant itself combines good cuisine with hospitality and has a special team: formerly homeless people find permanent employment and are supported in the kitchen and service by volunteers.

On 16.11.2022, the goal of our Navigator 2.0 group was to clear out and clean the restaurant's warehouse, including all goods, and then to set up new shelves and put them back in place.

We transported many crates of drinks from the old vaulted cellar of the VinziRast. The other food was also sorted and packed into new boxes. After cleaning the empty room, the new shelves could be put up and then systematically filled again.

The great feeling of "creating order" and team spirit trumped the sore muscles of the following days!

We can only recommend the excellent cuisine of the VinziRast restaurant mittendrin - definitely worth a visit!

Author: Janine Klammer

One of the milestones of the Navigator 2.0 Programme, is a Corporate Social Responsibility Project. Due to the current situation, it was challenging to find a CSR Project that is compatible with the current COVID-19 situation. Further it needed to be an action or event that could work in English, as the group is international. During brainstorming it turned up quickly that the group wants to be practical, or more specifically work with their own hands.

Preparing Haus Jaro garden for spiring was selected by the group as a joint decision. House Jaro is a short-term housing project offered to EU citizens, those suffering of poverty, exclusion of society or suffering of diseases. The house offers residential places incl. care by the city of Vienna. There are needs for improvements within the garden, and this is a perfect match for the group to work with their hands, helping the ones that cannot.

The group worked in the garden of Haus Jaro and transformed the garden, which was in poor condition, into an amenable space. We laid out the garden, transplanted bushes, put in flowers and prepared the soil and then spread grass and watered it.

Breaking the daily sitting-at-the-screen office routine with some open-air active work and the consciousness of being helping others transformed the weekend work into a particularly rewarding and satisfying experience.

This was a very fitting decision for the group to get connected, as the majority of the program took place online (due to Covid-19 restrictions). The group had also extra possibility for networking during the open-air lunch break at Haus Jaro (pizza was ordered !!).

Authors: Daniela Bonholzer, Stefano Melchionna, Andreas Thomasson

Ermina, Rusmir, Franz & I arrived at the Caritas day centre at half past eight. First we got a short introduction about the background of the centre and the procedure in the kitchen.

Then we started cooking at 09:00 - we chose a chickpea curry with vegetables and rice. We peeled, chopped, cut & stirred diligently and around 12:00 our food was ready to be served. We took care of the food distribution ourselves and then helped with the washing up afterwards.

I think I speak for all of us when I say that this was a valuable personal experience. My personal take-away was that you should be grateful for everything you have - things you don't even think about and take for granted (like a shower at home, a roof over your head or something to eat on your plate) - we're fine.

All in all, a Social Team Day at the Day Centre is really recommendable - if any of you are planning such an event in the future.

And PS: you can also drop off donations in kind (e.g. coffee packs or clothes ) at any time during opening hours - best to give them a quick call beforehand and ask what is needed.

Author: Julia Kertelits

In the context of the NAVIGATOR 2.0 program 2021/2022, a group of highly motivated individuals once again set out to find a social project that seemed feasible for all 13 participants. This search was not necessarily made easier by the high volatility of the COVID19 measures. After evaluating various proposals from the group, a decision was finally made on a grassroots level and with good cheer we agreed to have a cultural-social day at the Schatzhaus Österreich in the Federal Garden Belvedere.

The main task of the Alpine Garden is to preserve endangered plants of the Alpine region, not only of the Alpine region we know in Europe but of all mountains worldwide. To this end, the Federal Gardens, to which the Alpine Garden belongs, participate in an international seed exchange programme with over 400 botanical gardens and institutions worldwide. In this way, the Alpine Garden receives a good 2,000 different seed portions every year, which serve to preserve the existing collections and protect species.

Full of confidence, zest for action and with the physical means at our disposal, we thus met on a cool spring day at the end of April 2022 in front of the entrance to the Alpine Garden in the Belvedere. Michael, the head of the Alpine Garden, greeted us happily and informed us right from the start that unfortunately they only had limited resources at their disposal and that they were therefore always happy about little volunteer helpers.

Of course, we were equipped with the necessary tools such as picks, shovels, wheelbarrows, work gloves and weed cutters and set to work. Among other things, we were allowed to remove weeds, "replant" trees and dig out and renew water shafts. It became clear to us relatively quickly that these kinds of activities had little to do with the posture we were used to at our usual workplace. As a result, some of the participants manifested various deficiencies, especially in the knee, hip and spine areas.

But the moaning and sighing was not heard and so the motto was "grit your teeth and leave physical and hygienic concerns aside". After several hours and "thankfully" interrupted by a downpour that gave us a break, we were able to complete the work assigned to us to the complete satisfaction of our client.

In addition, Michael gave us a deep insight into his field of activity, which is quite astonishing, at least for laymen. To regard him and his staff as gardeners in the conventional sense seems to project too simple an image. Highly trained experts in the service of science and nature conservation is probably more accurate.

At the end of the day, exhausted but satisfied, we returned to our everyday lives, certain that we had done meaningful work and gained new insights.

Homelessness is often invisible, especially when it affects women. The social organization neunerhaus is now drawing increasing attention to the situation of hidden homeless women by setting up art figures in public spaces and thus creating public awareness. For this, energetic volunteers were needed.

This urgent ad-hoc help was conveyed to Time Bank by Monika Gröger.

The Time Bank Community reacted quickly and so the artworks could be installed at Christian-Broda Square and Esterházy park on 19 October 2021.

“I didn't believe it and I am overwhelmed by what the Time Bank community gets together. I would like to thank Time Bank very much again. As I said, I dared not hope and my wildest hopes were exceeded.” (Monika Gröger)

“As an experience that I particularly enjoyed the positive and friendly interaction between the employees from the Neunerhaus, the civil servants and us helpers. The interest shown by passers-by during assembly and dismantling was also a great experience ” (Christoph Kunert)

“I've wanted to get involved social work for a long time. I was very pleased to be able to invest a few hours here. From my personal background, I know how quickly it can happen that you suddenly find yourself without an apartment - that's why this topic from the Neunerhaus particularly appealed to me. ” (Barbara Eichriedler-Ledl)

Further information in the news of 12 November 2021

Making hidden homelessness visible

The “Kulturbuddy” project of Caritas Vienna offers people interested in culture and sports an opportunity to volunteer. As a Kulturbuddy, you accompany residents from Caritas Vienna social institutions to cultural and sporting events.

Gerlinde Brachinger and Sabine Wiesauer came to the “Kulturbuddy” project through Time Bank. They met at an information event and have been active in the ASSIST day structure for people with disabilities since 2015.

Together with their group, they go to music, theatre and cabaret performances as well as to museums and ice hockey games. They also plan monthly leisure activities and cultural excursions with a small group of young people.

"We are always looking for ideas. We have visited almost every musical in the last few years because the young people have a lot of fun with it. The cultural pass from "Hunger for Art and Culture" offers free admission to concert events," says Sabine Wiesauer.

It all starts with time, interest and help.

Gerlinde Brachinger: "I was looking for a voluntary activity that was compatible with my job. That's how I came across the culture buddy project. It appealed to me personally.

Sabine Wiesauer: "For disabled people, being accompanied to events is a great support. It's very important that the culture pass exists."

In the book - on the occasion of 15 years of "Hunger for Art and Culture" - Gerlinde and Sabine have written an article about their Kulturbuddy work.

When the IT colleagues moved from the Geiselberg to the Erste Campus and Tower in the spring of this year, one question quickly arose: Where to put the IT equipment and furniture that was no longer needed? Since sustainability and social responsibility are part of Erste Group's DNA, it was clear that the goal had to be to reuse rather than dispose of. And so the idea for the Geiselberg flea market was born.

The flea market opened its doors at the beginning of March and offered both large items of furniture such as desks, office chairs, filing cabinets, etc. and smaller "take away" items such as monitors, mice, keyboards, most of which could be purchased for a free donation.

"From an organisational point of view, the project was a great effort, as we had to manage the flea market in addition to the relocation of the colleagues and our data centre as well as the ongoing office operations." explains Harald Jaksch, project manager of the data centre relocation and co-organiser of the Geiselberg flea market.

75,000 euros and lots of donations in kind

The balance sheet of the flea market was very satisfactory: The proceeds of 75,000 euros went in equal parts to the BR Social Fund of Erste Digital and the Sterntalerhof Children's Hospice.

Furnishings and IT equipment that did not find a new owner at the flea market were not to be disposed of just yet. Time Bank and the workers' council of Erste Digital contacted NGOs and offered them these items as donations. "Many people were very surprised when they saw what we were offering," says Elke Strasser from the Erste Digital works council, which was largely responsible for organising the flea market. Her colleague Thomas Schluet confirms: "Quite a few NGOs came a second or even a third time to pick up items". Today, the many donations in kind serve very different purposes: potted plants improve the indoor climate in retirement homes, desks have found a new home in parishes, among others, and the donated bar tables offer customers of social markets the opportunity to exchange ideas over a coffee after their shopping.

It all starts small with sustainability and social responsibility

"The flea market shows that sustainability and social responsibility are also practised in small ways in our group. These steps, which are small for us, can have a big impact on others. This is clear from the thank-you letters we received from the charities we supported with donations in kind. Their thanks, and mine, go to all the colleagues who made the flea market possible in a challenging time on top of their daily business," says Dietmar Böckmann, Managing Director of Erste Digital, about the success of the campaign.

Dzana Sorlija/ Communications Content Production 0196 0379

Remembering a world gone by (Alexandra Langeder)

We have implemented a CSR project! Nothing out of the ordinary for a Navigator group yet... But....

The implementation of the project was not exactly made easier by the COVID19 measures. The task was: To implement a social project together in a group of 10 colleagues in times of Corona.
After much toing and froing, we decided on an outdoor activity. Unfortunately, even that was not easy.
But with the association "Rettet den jüdischen Friedhof Währing" (Save the Jewish Cemetery Währing) the idea arose to put a joint social project of our group into reality. No sooner said than done! The organisation began:
A few phone calls, emails and appointments later (due to the lockdown in Vienna, we had to postpone all the appointments planned in April), we were standing in front of the gates of the Jewish Cemetery in Währing on 21 May 2021.
A unique atmosphere welcomed us - the cemetery has been disused since 1898 - nature has reclaimed the world and made its way through the rows of graves. The history of our country lies before us - in its beauty - but also in the destructiveness this place had to experience.

Equipped with gardening gloves (the necessary gardening tools are professionally and helpfully provided for us on site), we set to work after a short informative briefing. With rakes, pruning shears, loppers, wheelbarrows and a lot of zest for action, we freed gravestones and grave areas from fallen brick walls, cut back bushes to make the gravestones accessible to the restorers and stonemasons.

The peace around us, as well as the joy of finally being able to make a small contribution in the group, made us forget the time.
After a short break under a 100-year-old lime tree, we went back to work. The rakes were used one last time, bricks were smoothed, the ivy was tamed to give the next volunteer group more space.

The sustainability of this story is also very nice for us, because through this joint group activity - in the course of our social project - we have made a small contribution to a new cooperation at Group level.

The participants of the Navigator 2.0 group: Alexander Broz, Alexandra Langeder, Barbara Hönigschnabl, Christoph Kummerer, Dominik Jodlbauer, Johanna Rivola, Martin Moser, Moritz Öhlinger, Sabine Leitner

As part of our 2020 Christmas campaign, Erste AM donated 1,500 euros. This donation was handed over to the VinziWerk and supports people in need.On Tuesday, 20 April 2021, the donation was handed over by Heinz Bednar and the EAM works council at the VinziDorf. With the donation, we not only support people who have gone off track and therefore live in poverty, but at the same time set a sign of compassion.

VinziWerke Austria
The VinziWerke celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2020. Since 1990, they have been caring for people living in poverty. In the meanwhile 40 facilities and projects of the VinziWerke, up to 450 people find accommodation every day and 1,400 people are provided with food and groceries. The services are supported to 75% by donations and by more than 900 volunteers who contribute their time, their very different competences and contacts to the success of the work. Further information can be found here: www.vinzi.at

Author: Regina Haberhauer, SPIBetriebsrat0969@erste-am.com

170 aid packages were handed over

Many kind-hearted colleagues responded to the Johanniter Christmas appeal and filled boxes with foodstuffs, toiletries, sanitary products and toys - and even wrapped them up for Christmas, too. Although it was still not clear at the end of November whether we would be taking part in the initiative, we put together an incredible 170 aid packages in a really short time after the starting gun was sounded. We were very glad that we managed it!

Our colleague was a part of it

From 26 - 30 December 2019 the aid packages were transported to one of the poorest regions of Romania, where they were distributed to needy families. There are people living in poverty in the countryside in particular. Their lives are characterised by high unemployment, insufficient healthcare provision and uncertain future prospects. And those are exactly the issues we would like to tackle. Showing a great deal of #believeinyourself, one member of our Time Bank team, Jennifer Pencs, travelled with the Johanniter to southern Romania to see for herself how our aid was being received.

An unforgettable moment

“It was incredible to see the shining eyes of the children and their parents, who were already there waiting for us when we arrived. I found their gratitude extremely moving - it was an unforgettable moment,” said Jennifer Pencs, clearly welling up with emotion. The Johanniter’s Romanian partner organisation has even initiated a follow-up project, which aims to teach the children who received packages what is meant by sustainability and to encourage them to commit to protecting the environment.We on the Time Bank team feel totally justified once again in believing in our and our employees’ ability to make a positive contribution to society - because, of course, this would not have been possible without the engagement of all our colleagues.

Thank you to everyone who gave such active support to this aid campaign!

The Christmas party for the Group Sustainability Office (GSO) combines "time together as a team" with commitment to the socially disadvantaged. My Time Bank team told us that Caritas is urgently looking for volunteers for the "Glanzing Wärmestube", especially for the Christmas holidays - just what we needed.

The 35 "Wärmestuben" offer people, regardless of their origin, religion or residence status, a protective refuge in the cold winter.
Offered:

a warm, comfortable recreation room
free catering
the opportunity to rest
a sympathetic ear for sorrows and hardships
a volunteer team to prepare and serve a hot lunch or coffee snack

Our team outreach was on 3 January 2020 and we organised Erdapfelgulasch for 50 people at a nearby inn. Additionally we offered bread, pastries, fruit salad, homemade cake, hot and cold drinks and daily newspapers.

Already before 12:00, visitors came and were happy about their first warm meal that day.We found enough time to talk to the people. Everyone spoke good German or a guest translated the questions and wishes. There were people with academic education as well as people with little schooling. For all of them, it would not be expected that they would be dependent on this help because of their clothes or appearance - that means poverty is often not visible.

After getting to know each other, we learned about unemployment, working poverty, mini pension, unheated flats (costs) or homelessness. And the relief and joy of being provided with warmth and food for a few hours.
For us it was an immersion in another world that is so close. The gratitude, the smiles or hearty laughter we received from these people on the edge of society, showed us again how important social commitment is for the people concerned.
We drove home with the feeling of having made a small contribution to the relief of people in extreme situations.

Klaus Bergsmann / Group Sustainability Office

The COO team of Erste Holding renovated a day centre for disabled people in the course of a teambuilding event.

For their team building event this year, the COO team - comprising Holding employees of Group Digital Transformation, Holding IT and Group COO Governance - chose a very special mission: working together with the Time Bank and the Caritas aid organisation, they spent a whole day renovating a day centre for disabled people in Wiener Neustadt. You can see why they picked this particular project, how it passed off for them and what kind of special #believeinyourself moments they experienced, in our video:Click on the video and then on the bottom to activate the subtitels.

At the year´s Alumni meeting of the Group Graduate Programme on September 1, the organizers decided to integrate some social activities into the schedule. Besides a bit of fun and networking they actively wanted to give something back to society and that way acted accordingly to our statement of purpose.

Participants could register for one of three different activities:

Construction of fences at the day center for handicapped people “Am Himmel”
Cooking for homeless people at “Zweite Gruft “
Excursion with inhabitants of the nursing home “Seeböckgasse” to the flowergarden Hirschstetten

In total 35 participants from different entities within Erste Group worked very enthusiastically on the tasks given.
The social organisations were all very thankful for the great support. The statement from Gerhard Kohlmeyer from the day center speaks for all: “Despite the bad weather conditions we were able to construct half of the fences and in addition your people helped us to prepare our products for sales. We would never have managed so much without your help!”

Claudia Breitwieser/0198 0004 Filiale Graben

For us it was a nice and moving experience. On the one hand, it is a happy moment being able to cook for people who highly appreciate it and that they enjoyed the food. On the other hand, we were touched by the amount of people, who come for hot soup every day, because it is one of the few opportunities to get something cooked to eat. How natural it is for us to buy or prepare our meals every day. That was really eye opening for us. The support and cooperation of the employees and volunteers on-site were really great! Thank you for the opportunity to cook.

Matthias Köckeis/0198 0182 Filiale Gersthof

It was a day full of joy for me. Joy because our team brought a good atmosphere! Joy because we were able to give something back! And joy because we could gain something from the people! They told us their stories. They showed us that this institution is an important support for many. A support to get back on your feet! I can only recommend this experience.

Report by Brigitte Raschka-Seidl / 0196 0316 Group Talent Mgmt. and Learning

Like former intakes, the participants from the GGP 2016/18 dedicated one day within their final class room in Vienna for a social activity.

On March 22, 2018 the trainees worked together on several projects with refugees from Haus Damaris, a home for refugees in the 19th district of Vienna, on several projects:

Painting in the children’s play room ( remove old furniture, paint, sort out damaged materials, clean up afterwards)
Construction of new tables for the sitting room
Creation of T-Shirts together with small kids who live in Haus Damaris

The group of 20 trainees from different entities within Erste Group worked very enthusiastically to finish all tasks within one day.

The inhabitants of the refugee home were very grateful for the help and therefore prepared typical Syrian and Afghan dishes for lunch.

Some older kids also stepped in to support the workers as you can see at the group picture, made after finalizing all given tasks.

Gudrun Köhne from Caritas was impressed by the huge engagement of the young people. She stated clearly that “such motivated groups are always welcomed!“

Social Responsibility Day which was organized by unit “Payments Operations and Clearing” and the project of Time Bank

On November 24th 2017, seven employees of Payments Operations and Clearing (0196 0686) had the honor to spend a day with residents of Kolpinghaus “Gemeinsam leben“ Wien, a new form of communal living in Vienna’s 2nd district.

The original idea behind the house is to bring together different generations of people to live under one roof in order to support one another and exchange experiences. Those living there range from senior citizens to single mothers facing difficulties in life.

With the support of the great staff and volunteers, our colleagues were able to experience a day in the life at Kolpinghaus. They participated in many activities with residents such as sitting football, wheel chair training and flying ball play.

For people who are not exposed to such initiatives, it was an opportunity to get involved even if it was only by getting to know about the residents and to try to support them. As we know, anyone of us could one day be in their shoes.

“When we see those people with special needs, we get to appreciate more our good health and the health of those around us”, said one of the participants.

“I was so emotionally touched by what I have seen! But I wished that no one would ever need to be in such a situation”, said another colleague.

During the six years of armed conflict in Syria, images of the tragedy were never far away from our TV screens and newspapers. They only served to remind us of the ongoing suffering of millions of people, and the fortunate gift we have in living in a safe and secure place. At first glance, there may not be an obvious link between the human crisis in a distant corner of the planet and the world of EG IT INT, and yet there is one. Mohammed, who asked for his last name to be withheld, is not only one of our colleagues at EG IT INT, but he is also a Syrian refugee who experienced the hardship of war firsthand.

As a company that is defined by the rich diversity of backgrounds, beliefs and the entire range of experience of our people, a part of EG IT INT’s identity is also shaped by the inspiring life story of our colleague Mohammed. Mohammed’s path crossed with that of Michael Schneglberger, Head of BRCC and a member of EG IT INT’s Management Board, at the Red Cross Refugee Center Baumgarten. Michael took part in a volunteering activity called “Social Day”, helping refugees write job applications, while Mohammed assisted as an interpreter.

Since May 2017, Mohammed has been an integral part of the BRCC team at EG IT INT, where he was given the opportunity to do “the job he has always dreamed of”. Alongside work, he is studying business informatics at the University of Vienna.

The circumstances that brought Mohammed in contact with our company might have been random, but the decision to give him a chance to prove that he is an asset to our team was intentional. Even more so, it is a powerful statement of what corporate social responsibility fundamentally is about.

At a time when CSR has become a buzzword without much meaning, the story of Mohammed shows that this concept actually can make a positive difference. At EG IT INT, we see our social conscience as a serious and collective commitment to give back and to help change lives. This is why we want to encourage all of our employees across ranks and levels to get involved.

Reports about volunteering - sharing of experiences

75,000 euros and lots of donations in kind

It all starts small with sustainability and social responsibility