Since 2008, the company has been running an internal charity drive to fulfill the wishes of children and families in need at Christmas. Children can submit their gift wishes on a list and employees volunteer to buy them. The company also supports various sheltered workshops by buying their handmade items for employees‘ Christmas presents.
Helping the community is really important to Johnson Controls and for many years the company has been working with various non-profit organizations to support education, the environment, health, culture, arts, and social services in our local communities. In recent years, Johnson Controls has given up to $15 million annually in these areas. The company also encourages its employees to support causes that matter to them most and provides them with many volunteering opportunities.
Throughout the year, Johnson Controls employees from the Bratislava Business Center participate in various meaningful charity activities by contributing their valuable time, donating funds or material goods.
Employees especially like engaging in Our City, the biggest corporate volunteering event in Slovakia, and for many years the company has had the highest number of volunteers participating in this event. Some of the activities volunteers engage in for Our City include painting fences and benches, cleaning parks and rivers, helping save castle ruins or spending time with seniors or disabled people.
„I attended Our City with my colleagues for the first time and it was a really nice experience,“ said Tatiana Piechaczkova, Junior Analyst in the CFS FP&A EMEA team. „We helped build bird nest boxes at a small farm near Devín Castle. The company provided us with a whole day off for this event so we could help our city and also spend some quality time with our colleagues.“
Johnson Controls is so committed to charity events in Slovakia that last year they were the primary sponsor of the country’s biggest charity event, Children’s Hour, which helps children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. But the company doesn’t always look to fund only the biggest events; it also encourages employees to suggest smaller, more personal events to sponsor. „It was our pleasure to sponsor Children’s Hour,“ said Kristína Gaál Drobcová, the general manager of the Bratislava Business Center. „We are thrilled when our employees want to volunteer and we support all individuals and groups who find an event or charity they want to contribute to.“
Johnson Controls has been working closely with the Pontis Foundation since 2009 and annually allocates 2% of its tax contribution to the Johnson Controls fund administered by the foundation to support philanthropic projects. These include collections of clothing, groceries or household essentials to help socially disadvantaged families, support for children in foster homes and involvement on a global day of giving – #GivingTuesday, which gives people all around the world an opportunity to help organizations, charities or events in their own community.
The company internal program, Johnson Controls Cares, ensures its employees’ wellbeing by supporting them and their close ones who are facing a health condition, unfavorable situation or a challenging social circumstance. The company organizes blood donations in the office several times a year and supports various projects of the Cvernovka Foundation.
This year, Johnson Controls expanded its long-time cooperation with a non-profit organization Plamienok and financially contributed to the therapeutic summer camp called “The Magical Garden”, which is annually organized for children and youngsters who have lost a close relative. The aim of the camp is to give children an opportunity to spend time with people who have a similar life experience, and to bring them new experiences, friendships and the feeling of support.
In cooperation with Children of Slovakia Foundation, Johnson Controls is also launching a project called “Life of young people under control”, which is focused on education of young people from foster homes in the area of financial literacy. The project will impact more than 320 young people aged 12 – 18, who will learn the basics of financial literacy and gain practical skills needed for becoming self-sufficient after leaving the social facility. This autumn, Johnson Controls employees will be able to join this project as expert volunteers and provide these children with practical information and teach them how to manage money in day-to-day life. The project will also enable volunteers to visit these children on a regular basis and accompany them in their daily activities, play games or do homework together.
Volunteering is clearly very important to Johnson Controls employees and they generously contribute their talent, resources, time and passion to make a difference. They are motivated to make an impact on the quality of life in our communities and the company supports their efforts by giving them many volunteering opportunities.
Dominika Trembecká, RBC Relations Specialist, Johnson Controls
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