Ferrovial and its foreign subsidiaries have sent out Christmas greetings with cards that foster social and labour development in the communities in which they work. This is not a one-time initiative but forms part of the company’s long-standing strategy: fostering social development, training and the integration into work and society of people with disabilities or disadvantages.
This year, Ferrovial has chosen the Afanias NGO to produce its over 20,000 Christmas cards, which are sent to institutions, customers, suppliers, analysts and the media in Spain and other countries. Ferrovial’s greeting uses drawings by people who attend the NGO’s occupational centres on a daily basis. For over four decades, Afanias has been serving people with intellectual disabilities by establishing and promoting educational and employment centres and services for them.
Cintra, the group’s transport infrastructure subsidiary, chose Doctors Without Borders, an NGO devoted to providing medical and humanitarian aid to people who are the victims of warfare, natural disasters or famine. The cards are printed on paper produced from replanted forests, thus contributing to the sustainable conservation of the earth’s resources.
‘All I want for Christmas is …’ in the UK, Switzerland and Poland
Other Ferrovial services and construction companies, in the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Poland, worked with organisations and foundations that assist disadvantaged or disabled groups.
Under the slogan ‘All I want for Christmas is …’, Amey, a UK services company that became part of the Ferrovial group in mid-2003, produced a Christmas card bearing an illustration chosen in a painting contest organised among schools in the UK. Amey maintains its commitment to education it handles maintenance for many school buildings throughout the UK by contributing funds for the purchase of books and other educational materials.
In Switzerland, Swissport the world’s largest independent airport handling company, acquired by Ferrovial just a few months ago sent best wishes for happy holidays and a New Year full of health and prosperity via a donation to the Usthi Foundation. Swissport reports that this is not simply another initiative to help children in a developing country, India, but that it contributes to children’s education, nutrition and shelter and promotes employment and social and economic prosperity among the disadvantaged.
Construction subsidiary Budimex chose a Christmas card produced by people with disabilities at the Deotymy centre, owned by the Awangarda Foundation in Poland.
“Stronger together” in Spain and Canada
In January 2005, Ferrovial implemented ‘Stronger together’, an initiative under which the company matches monthly contributions out of an employee’s paycheck to fund a social project. The initiative enables employees’ commitment to be channelled to social development projects while doubling their contribution with matching funds from Ferrovial. In the last eleven months, 434 Ferrovial employees have participated in the initiative, and a total of nearly 60,000 euro have been contributed to the construction of a hospital in Ambato, Ecuador.
A similar initiative has been implemented in Canada in recent months: 407 Express Toll Route, managed by Cintra, has donated 85,000 dollars to United Way, one of the best-known and respected NGOs in the York region, by doubling donations from the company’s 600 employees. The Canadians expressed their satisfaction at working as a team (company plus employees) on initiatives that “benefit the communities we serve and live in”.
