Kuraray Europe GmbH Sustainability Blog The principle of give and take
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Everyone who receives something, should give something back. That was the view propagated by our company’s founder, Magosaburo Ohara, a hundred years ago and it was an integral part of the establishment of the company. In keeping with this spirit, Kuraray still has a strong commitment to the communities where it operates. At Kuraray in Europe, we also focus on connecting with people at our locations and making a meaningful impact. In 2024, we put our values as a company and a team into practice through many initiatives and considerable personal commitment.
We support projects and initiatives that are dedicated to social, cultural or ecological causes. That benefits everyone: not just those we support, but also the people who engage in good deeds. Therefore, we believe it’s important for our employees to get actively involved. If the activities are also sustainable and are aligned with our corporate values, we are happy to support them.
Examples are the Malteser Social Day, which took place on September 6 and 20 this year and which Kuraray Europe has been involved in since 2012. Our company pays the participation fees and releases those who take part from their work. Once again, committed colleagues at our production site in Troisdorf and our headquarters in Hattersheim rolled up their sleeves: in Troisdorf, they put together a Wendy house, a wooden horse and Montessori materials for a local childcare facility. A childcare facility in Hattersheim was equally pleased with our efforts. Here, the entrance area was brightened up with a fresh coat of paint and a new flower bed was created.
Another highlight is our annual participation in “Christmas in a shoebox”, the world’s biggest campaign to provide gifts for disadvantaged children. This autumn, many employees again chose suitable gifts, which they packaged in cheerfully decorated shoeboxes. The gifts are distributed by the initiator, the Samaritan’s Purse charity, via registered collection points and put a sparkle in kids’ eyes at Christmas.
As well as personal commitment, we also make donations to provide assistance where it is urgently needed. The Kuraray Golf Cup on September 20 was an opportunity to support the Frankfurt-based “Butterfly project”, a charity that helps cancer patients and their relatives deal with mental stress. As every year, we also made substantial donations to various projects and organisations. Our employees were involved in choosing the recipients by suggesting initiatives that were close to their hearts.
Many of our colleagues have a strong sense of responsibility that motivates them to get engaged in things that are important to them. In 2024, they once again got involved in many ways in social and ecological causes. One example is Larissa Reyes-Gleu, who works in our MonoSol business unit. During this year’s Earth Week from April 22-26, she initiated clean-up walks around our headquarters in Hattersheim. Together, she and her helpers gathered numerous sacks of refuse during the five-day period and made sure they were disposed of properly. Since 2023, Larissa Reyes-Gleu and her colleague Karim Delgado have been CSR Captains for the environment and social affairs at our company. Larissa Reyes-Gleu, who also took part in the Malteser Social Day, explains what motivates her: “It’s a great feeling at the end of the day to have achieved something together and to know that people are grateful and appreciate what has been done.”
Anna Hoffmann, technical product manager in our Mowital business unit, has set herself the goal of living a sustainable lifestyle, an objective she pursues with passion both at work and in her private life. “For me, sustainability means taking responsibility in all areas on a daily basis,” says the young mother. So what exactly does that mean? She gives some examples: “Including sustainability in projects and processes, saving energy, making conscious consumer decisions, repairing things or making them oneself, avoiding single-use products and waste.” Two years ago, Anna Hoffmann set up the Instagram channel “sustained_insights”, which she uses to provide information on sustainability issues and pass on soundly based factual knowledge. Her conclusion: “I get a lot of positive feedback about the platform and it also sharpens my perception and that of the people around me.”
Ioannis Gakis, his brother Emmanouil Gakis, Stavros Gkirgkenis and Konstantinos Ciriazopoulos also have an active sense of commitment – both at work and in their free time. All are members of our AIS division and are also engaged in youth work at the Hellas football club in Troisdorf. All four used to be active players in the club, which was established more than 70 years ago to foster Greek culture as well as football. They have remained committed to this mission. Their voluntary work in 2024 was impressive. So what motivates them? They all agree that youth work is fun and the smiles on the kids’ faces are their best reward.
Another inspiring example comes from Andrew Vogt and Ralf Stahl of the AIS division in Troisdorf, who volunteer with the international foundation “Movember.” This charitable organisation is dedicated to improving men’s health – with a focus on sensitive issues such as prostate cancer, mental health and preventing suicide. In November, our two colleagues grew moustaches to raise awareness and get people talking. “The idea was a success – we aroused a lot of interest,” says Andrew Vogt, who has been supporting the initiative for more than ten years. “Together, we can be a strong force for change and inspire people around us.”
The commitment of our colleagues shows how diverse and effective personal commitment can be – regardless whether they concentrate on ecological sustainability or social responsibility. With their hearts and minds they do no simply bring about genuine improvements, they also inspire others to get involved and make a difference.
As a company, we will continue to provide scope for personal initiatives, support sustainable projects and encourage our employees to get actively involved for the benefit of society and the environment. Because we’re convinced that every contribution makes a difference and that together we can achieve even more.
More information on the initiatives:
Malteser Social Day | Als Unternehmen helfen Weihnachten im Schuhkarton - Samaritan's Purse Movember
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