voestalpine cares run—“Together We Move the World”
As part of an internal social responsibility program, voestalpine is motivating its employees for the second time to get active in sports, and at the same time do something together for a good cause and for their own health. voestalpine donates the proceeds to social cooperation partners such as Hilfswerk International, UNICEF, the Red Cross, and Doctors Without Borders. This support is released in individual stages via an app, as the result of joint sporting activities undertaken by voestalpine employees. This is how athletic and charitable engagement are combined. Donations are automatically generated once voestalpine employees have reached a certain number of points. Up to 700,000 euros can be raised for the learning centers run by the Austrian Red Cross, UNICEF education programs in Ukraine and Brazil, mobile clinics and emergency kits supplied by Doctors Without Borders, and for basic humanitarian care provided by Hilfswerk International.
The following projects in Brazil, Austria, and Ukraine are being supported by the voestalpine cares run 2024:
Education and Digital Learning Center in Ukraine (UNICEF)
The war has had a massive impact on the education system, with 3,800 Ukrainian educational institutions damaged and 365 destroyed. 5.3 million children cannot attend school, which results in significant amounts of lost learning opportunities. The UNICEF education initiative aims to reach 1.2 million children and young people in Ukraine. 650,000 children are receiving psychosocial support, with 190 schools and kindergartens due to be renovated and reopened.
Humanitarian aid Ukraine (Hilfswerk International)
The suffering in Ukraine takes many forms. In addition to medical care, many of those affected can no longer afford the daily essentials. Hilfswerk International is distributing emergency aid packages at “Help Points” in order to provide families with food and basic necessities, including hygiene items, blankets, and warm clothing.
Emergency Disaster Relief RISK Kits (Doctors Without Borders)
The first 72 hours are crucial in an emergency. Doctors Without Borders must be on the ground with the necessary equipment within this time frame in order to save lives. The “Rapid Intervention Surgical Kit” (RISK Kit for short) is a portable “mini operating theater” developed for this purpose. The RISK Kit often means the difference between life and death in natural disasters and conflict zones.
Learning centers for children and young people in Austria (Austrian Red Cross)
One in ten young people in Austria drops out of training before completion. The Austrian Red Cross operates learning centers at 12 locations throughout Austria in an attempt to solve this problem. They enable children and young people from socially or educationally disadvantaged families to recognize their potential and receive support in successfully pursuing their own educational path.
Mobile clinics in Ukraine (Doctors Without Borders)
Access to healthcare is frequently disrupted in Ukraine. Doctors without Borders mobile clinic teams consisting of psychologists, doctors, and health advisors support Ukrainian communities with medical and psychological consultations in order to ensure continuous care.
Future prospects for young people in Brazil (UNICEF)
UNICEF’s “1 Million Opportunities” initiative in Brazil is dedicated to giving young people access to high-quality education in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) subjects. The project is already being implemented in over 1,800 communities and in 8 urban centers, mainly in the Amazon region and northern Brazil, and had reached around 590,000 children and young people by 2023.
The voestalpine cares run enables UNICEF to reach 4,500 schoolchildren with further training in STEM subjects, and to help 2,250 young people re-enter the education system through apprenticeships and internships.
With funds from the voestalpine cares run, Doctors Without Borders are able to fund the planning and logistics for medical equipment (e.g., RISK kits), staff training, and the creation of emergency plans in order to be ready for action more rapidly in the event of a crisis.
The voestalpine cares run supports Austrian Red Cross project participants in overcoming educational disadvantages and developing positive approaches to learning.
These examples show how voestalpine is once again moving the world together with the cares run in 2024, by collecting “digital cares” through running, walking, hiking or wheelchair use globally, and allowing these to be used for charitable purposes. This way, voestalpine is contributing towards sustainable development not only through its products, but also by supporting international aid projects.