Acting locally

We can add value in local partnerships or initiatives making use of our product, equipment, advice and expertise, as well as through contributions to initiatives that the local community sees as more relevant to our priorities in operations: Supporting public Health & Safety related initiatives, the education and the environment, as well as local infrastructure.

In 2010, 25% of our sites' support was directed to Health & Safety initiatives, 26% to works and projects improving local infrastructure while 31% contributed to environment or environmental education projects and initiatives of local community associations.

Heracles commitment to health and safety as a top daily priority is felt not only by its employees, but also the local communities. A significant part of the energy, knowledge and resources are put to work in community initiatives that relate to public health and safety.

Under the PRAKSI program, Heracles undertook a major initiative in the Milaki plant for the near-by community. In 2009, eight community infirmaries that had suffered damage or lacked basic equipment were renovated and restored. This created appropriate conditions for doctors to work in a place where patients can be examined in a dignified way.

Its plants' ambulances, often serve emergency needs of the community. In addition, the Halkis plant donated a 4x4 rescue vehicle to the local Red Cross.

Heracles has an ongoing commitment to raise awareness of road safety issues in the communities surrounding the Halkis plant; the road accident rate in this part of the Evoia region is a major concern. The campaign, which the company is running in partnership with local organizations, encompasses pedestrian safety, traffic circulation in the city, the safety of older drivers and the links between health and driver safety. In June about 60 people attended a training day on the topic of safety for older pedestrians and drivers; in September the plant hosted a workshop organized by the Halkis police service on the subject of safe access to schools. There was briefing on the work of the school traffic wardens, vehicle management and circulation, and appropriate safety infrastructure.

The Halkis plant also organized in 2010 a sea rescue training exercise for local coaches and athletes, given by the local diving school. In 2009, The Milaki plant offered its support to the lifeguard training for more than 600 primary school children of the community organized by the local Aliveri Sailing Club in collaboration with the Greek Lifeguard Academy.

Halkis plant developed in 2009 large scale activation on the subject of road safety, a serious issue for the community, since the rate of traffic related accidents put Evoia among the most highly impacted areas in Greece.

Working with the Municipality of Halkis and the Department of Primary Education, in September 2009 the plant developed a road safety awareness-raising campaign for commitment to safety rules, reaching not only citizens of Halkis but also children. 2,500 people attended the event, while more than 1,000 pupils in 14 schools in Halkis took part in an interactive program specifically designed for children, including a Road Traffic Code learning program and painting workshops on road safety. The plant also supported the Prefecture of Evoia in its road safety program, through support to the Traffic Park created for children education.

Targeting those on two wheels, the Halkis plant organized a motorcycles and bicycles event named ‘‘It's your life! Safety on two wheels", in November, which was hosted inside the plant. It was co-organized with the Evoia Prefecture and supported by the Motorcycle Sports Club of Halkis.

The third part of the campaign was dedicated to pedestrian safety and traffic conditions in the region. In June 2010, a series of seminars on safe driving, health care in relation to safe driving and pedestrian safety issues were organized. The seminars were held at Heracles Halkis plant with the support of Pan-Evoian Pensioners Association and the participation of specialists and a representative of the Ministry of Infrastructure, Transport and Networks.

Moreover, in September 2010, the Halkis plant organized a seminar for the school traffic wardens of the greater Halkis area. The training focused on issues related to equipment, the relevant provisions of the law and the Highway Code, techniques for optimal management of traffic and safely road crossing by children, children behavior as pedestrians, and schools infrastructure to ensure all necessary safety conditions. This was organized in collaboration with the Halkis Traffic Department and the Primary Education Department of Evoia.

In 2009, at the start of the school year 2009 - 2010, a partnership was announced between the company and the Evoia Departments of Primary and Secondary Education, as part of the PRAKSI program. The program supports seminars and workshops on the topics of environmental education, health and culture organized throughout the school year for the 1,800 elementary school teachers and 1,570 professors in Evoia schools, as well as activities to take place in the schools and accompanying educational materials. This partnership continued in 2010 as well.

Following their plans each of the three plants create opportunities for schools' site visits and other stakeholders tours. School children local to the Halkis plant have been taking part in the environmental improvement program there; the plant is undergoing refurbishment, redundant land is being planted with trees and local plant species, and a way-marked trail is being created inside the plant, where visitors can observe the plants and read about their origin and characteristics. In December 2010, at the opening of the trail, the children were invited to adopt certain trees along the way and had a presentation on biodiversity from an expert botanist from the Goulandris Museum of Natural History.

Donations in kind, which form part of Heracles community investment, often include the loan of machinery and tools and the donation of materials for community projects.

Heracles plants support those affected by flooding in their neighboring regions (through PRAKSI program in Evoia). Specifically, they provide assistance and supply material for rehabilitation and paving of damaged rural roads and the opening of the local road network, as well as restoration of the damaged river banks. Besides these projects, the PRAKSI program in Evoia has responded to requests from individual employees and residents to recover damages from flooding to homes and personal effects.

Also in Evoia, is held the annual training of volunteer fire patrol units from the municipality network supported by PRAKSI program. The training is done by the Halkis Fire Service and includes theoretical and practical training on fire fighting and fire prevention (in 2010 participated also the Aliveri Fire Service).

Heracles people and partners are almost always involved in the community support projects, either volunteering or actually performing work. Employees join in landscape protection and tidiness activities in the surrounding areas of the company's facilities, like cleaning the beach close to facilities, removing machinery from the national road outside the plant, etc.