- This project was chosen by employees as part of the "Stronger Together" (Juntos Sumamos) program.
- The company and its workers donated 90,000 euro towards guaranteeing food security in Lebanon.
- The program, under way since 2008, has helped more than 2,000 people in southern Lebanon.
- Ferrovial's "Stronger Together" initiative finances large development projects by NGOs.
Ferrovial and its employees have joined forces with Action Against Hunger on the NGO's food security project under way in southern Lebanon. This initiative, which will benefit 2,000 Lebanese people, is partly financed by the 90,000 euro contribution from Ferrovial and its staff. Action Against Hunger has been working in the area since May 2008.
The contribution was made via Ferrovial's "Juntos Sumamos" (Stronger Together) donation program, through which employees can voluntarily pledge a part of their salary towards development projects. Ferrovial matches employee contributions.
Juan Francisco Polo, the company's Head of Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility, commented: "The Juntos Sumamos" program enhances our employees' commitment to society while also involving the company in projects. As a signatory of the United Nations Global Compact, Ferrovial adheres to the Millennium Development Goals, the first of
Fernando Sevillano, Action Against Hunger Head of Relations with Companies: "In times of crisis, it is particularly important for the private sector to encourage corporate solidarity. It is also notable that Ferrovial employees are actively involved in the company's Corporate Social Responsibility strategy."
Once per year, a committee of experts studies various NGO proposals and selects a short list of projects, one of which is selected by a vote among the employees.
Action Against Hunger, which was chosen from among 20 initiatives, aims to develop southern Lebanon's economy so that its inhabitants are able to obtain sufficient income to pay for basic needs.
The actions being implemented can be categorized in three areas: guaranteeing drinking water supply, acquiring new machinery, and training farmers to increase their production capacity and improve their access to markets.
The program encourages environmental conservation, rational use of natural resources and gender equality.
The situation in southern Lebanon
Southern Lebanon has been suffering from armed conflicts for more than 30 years, the last of which was in July 2006.
More than half of the population are farmers who don't earn enough due to low productivity. Additionally, the region will face a water scarcity problem over the next 15 years, and the infiltration of wastewater is polluting drinking water and deteriorating the environment.
Action Against Hunger has designed a 3-year program to improve the situation in the area, and has also received aid from the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID).
About "Juntos Sumamos"
Since 2005, Ferrovial has implemented its "Juntos Sumamos" program, which is based on a joint commitment by the company and its employees to serving the global needs of society and combating human rights violations.
To date, the company and its people have donated over 404,000 euro to a number of social outreach projects, leading to the construction of schools in India and Madagascar, a hospital in Peru and wells for water in Chad.
As a signatory of the Global Compact, Ferrovial has adopted the Millennium Development Goals as the guidelines of its actions in promoting Human Rights until 2015. The goal is that "Juntos Sumamos" serve as a source of funding for institutions serving society with projects in this field.
About Action Against Hunger
Action Against Hunger is an independent international humanitarian organization that combats child malnutrition while ensuring safe supplies of water and other staples for the most vulnerable communities. It operates in over 40 countries providing support to five million people. Its vision is of a world free of malnutrition; its primary objective is to restore dignity to people threatened by hunger.
About Ferrovial
Ferrovial is one of the world's leading infrastructure groups, with over 100,000 employees, a presence in 49 countries and operations in a range of complementary industries such as construction, airport and toll road management and maintenance, and municipal services. The company owns two of the top privately-owned transportation assets in the world: Heathrow airport, in London, and 407 ETR, in Toronto. Over 60% of Ferrovial's revenues come from outside Spain, mainly from other OECD countries. The company, which is listed on the Madrid Stock Exchange, is a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices and the FTSE4Good index.
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