DOVISTA Sustainability Report / Human and labour rights / Environment / Anti–Corruption
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Employee Foundation support in Poland
In 1991, the VKR Group Employee Founda- tion was established. Its main objective is to provide financial assistance to present and former employees of the VKR Group and their next of kin. The VKR Group is also involved in providing financial support to non-profit or- ganisations that work for local communities. For DOVISTA employees and their immediate fami- lies who find themselves in a difficult circumstance, there is an opportunity to apply for a grant from the Employee Foundation of the VKR Group. This past year, the Employee Foundation has support- ed Julia, the teenage daughter of Kasia, who works in DOVISTA Poland. Julia was born deaf, and thanks to a cochlear implant inserted into one of her ears in 2007, she was able to hear for the first time. A cochlear implant consists of two parts: an internal implant and an external speech processor worn behind the ear. The speech processor does the job of a healthy ear by carrying out the specific function of speech coding. The Employee Foundation supported Julia and her family by funding new batteries for the speech pro-
cessor, a special alarm clock with vibrations, and a mini microphone, thanks to which Julia can hear what is being said while in another room. Julia’s greatest dream is to pass her secondary school examinations and study Otolaryngology (Ear, Nose and Throat Medicine). She would like to show hear- ing-impaired children and their parents that you can have a normal life with a cochlear implant – you can finish school, study and work. Based on her own expe- rience, Julia wants to help parents who need to decide about having their children undergo implantation. She would like to support them and provide evidence that it is worth it. Rehabilitation is a difficult and arduous process, but it is also the only way to come out of a world of silence. After many long months, rehabilita- tion brings great successes, such as a first spoken word. It is these moments that bring priceless joy. For Julia and her family, the Employee Foundation has helped to create a more normal every-day, from wak- ing up in the morning to hearing what is being said throughout the day. These are aspects of life that we generally take for granted, and those that make a world of difference for individuals with cochlear implants. 1
Giving back to local communities
The Employee Foundation grants financial support to assist employ- ees’ children in completing their final education or training. The Foundation can also grant support for non-profit, public projects in the vicinity of VKR Group companies, including all DOVISTA locations. In this way, the Foundation and DOVISTA can make a contribution to the communities that the company operates in.
1 ) These actions primarily support Sustainable Development Goal Target 10.2
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