Irish companies pitch in with seasonal good deeds

DESPITE the economic downturn Irish firms continued to show their charitable sides this Christmas.

Chief executive of Business in the Community Ireland Tina Roche said the year has been a difficultone for many people, especially the vulnerable, and as we move into 2009 we can be sure that even more challenging times lie ahead.

“In light of this, it is truly heart warming to see Irish companies are still showing their commitment to community and charitable causes. It is fantastic to see the great work our member companies are doing for vulnerable groups like the elderly during the Christmas period.

“We would encourage all companies in Ireland to really think about how they can work with local groups and causes in a sustainable and effective way,” she said.

Here’s a look at what some firms did this Christmas.

DIAGEO

This Christmas Diageo Ireland will donate thousands of euro to local charities. The charity nominated to receive monies from Diageo Ireland Christmas Card Appeal is the Samaritans. In addition, Diageo supports senior citizens’ Christmas parties and Christmas Day meals and this year donated €20,000 towards the Christmas meals.

Diageo Baileys Global Supply operates an innovative charity scheme which recognises safety excellence on site. The scheme is called the Lost Time Accident standard. The standard records any absences from work caused by a workplace accident or injury. For every month that there are no lost time accidents a donation of €1,000 to a staff nominated charity is made. In December DBGS invited local charities on site for cheque presentations. Some €16,500 was presented to a variety of groups including Pieta House, Temple Street Children’s Hospital, Aware and St Raphael’s School.

KPMG

For the past 30 years, KPMG has held a party for local people near its offices in Stokesplace, Dublin. This year, 110 older people were invited to KPMG’s offices for a Christmas dinner followed by dancing. Over 20 staff volunteer to help at the party and each guest went home with a hamper.

ULSTER BANK

In addition to staff buying presents for St Vincent de Paul, Ulster Bank makes donations to Focus Ireland and hospices in the North. For two weeks before Christmas, a large hamper was placed in Ulster Bank’s head offices in Georges Quay and staff were invited to donate food with the resulting hamper donated to Barnardos. Staff also volunteered at Merchants Quay Ireland, a charitable organisation in Dublin which helps people who are homeless or suffering from additions.

DANONE

Each year Danone Ireland has a Christmas party for the children of their local Barnardos Centre in Tallaght, Dublin. Danone provides food, entertainment and presents for more than 40 children who attend the centre.

IBM

During Christmas, IBM works closely with the Weavers — a Daughters of Charity Service for Persons with Intellectual Disabilities. The Weavers come to the IBM Technology Campus in Dublin to have a craft fair.All of the goods are handmade and range from mosaic mirrors to hand-stitched rugs and pictures, paintings, knitted handbags, silk screen scarves, Christmas decorations, hand-made wrapping paper and cards. PRICE WATERHOUSE COOPERS PwC in Dublin has been working with the sixth class boys and girls of St Laurence O’Toole’s school for the past few months to develop a “caring in the community” project. This Christmas, the children decided to design their own cards and PwC helped by selling the cards in its own offices and at Christmas markets around Dublin. Proceeds went to Temple Street.

VODAFONE

Each Christmas, over 130 guests from the National Council of the Blind are invited to a Christmas party in Vodafone’s head offices in Leopardstown. A choir made up of staff volunteers entertain the guests who are also treated to a dinner party and present ceremony.