Throughout 2022, Corinthia has lived up to its ideals of helping those in need. Members of the staff all across the Group have been vigorously present in noble activities, often forgetting their own pressing personal needs. This short review offers a bird’s-eye view of one aspect of Corinthia’s philosophy of uplifting lives. As the American poet John Holmes aptly stated: “There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.”
COSTA COFFEE
Costa Coffee is highly geared toward social and community activities. Joining forces with Sigma Foundation, Costa Coffee Malta is assisting Costa Foundation in raising funds for water conservation equipment for two schools in Ethiopia. These countries are also coffee-growing communities, which Costa wishes to support and ensure their sustainability.
One school in Wote has just been upgraded by the Costa Foundation and now requires a water reservoir of 5m3. This water will benefit over 1400 students and teachers. The second project funded by Costa Coffee is Adeyi school, which requires water tanks and water points for the school and community, a new spring and 7 km of pipeline and several trainers to benefit a total of 7540 members of communities and students.
In May 2022, Costa Coffee Malta organised a walk of 120 km from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela, collecting over €2,200.00 to help build a school in Bonga, Ethiopia, which will be inaugurated in early 2023.
A considerable sum for the Costa Foundation was also raised during a barbecue for staff families, and friends served by the management. Furthermore, a themed quiz was organised for Harry Potter fans with participants paying registration money to assist the Costa Foundation in its noble mission.
A Kids Activity Day was organised where children created crafts with coffee beans and concocted their own drinks using Costa machines. There was fun and excitement in a five-a-side football tournament played by Costa Coffee against Corinthia and QP teams.
International Coffee Day was celebrated from the 3rd to the 7th of October by donating 10% of all Cappuccino sales to the Costa Foundation. Furthermore, during Barista of the Year, a raffle was held, with ticket sales added to the fund.
Costa also played its part in L’Istrina 2022, a very successful televised marathon collection of funds for good causes headed by the President of Malta. Throughout December, its Loyalty Club members were encouraged to donate their points to be transferred into cash and donated to L’Istrina. The Costa team also set up a Coffee Cart and served hot drinks to all volunteers throughout Boxing Day during the televised marathon.
KHARTOUM
Khartoum Corinthia Hotel donated Employee Ramadam Gifts to 31 employees, carefully selected by Management and Heads of Departments and were given 18 litres of Frying Oil / 10 Kilos of Flour / 10 Kilos of Sugar.
It also donated towels, bed sheets and pillowcases to a Cancer hospital and hosted a Training programme for the Almihwar Educational Charity organisation.
BUDAPEST. AQUINICUM HOTEL
In 2022, Aquinicum continued its post-Covid re-activation of team activities, such as monthly informal information, sharing sessions, combining birthday celebrations, team changes and business updates.
It was also busy organising events for Women’s day, a Summer Food Truck Lunch, Teams Xmas Lunch, Santa Family Day, Management Xmas dinner and a very funny Secret Santa!
They kept permanently in mind to look after the less privileged and organised a collection of food and non-food items for charity.
BUDAPEST. CORINTHIA HOTEL
Corinthia Budapest donated over 500 kg of clothes to the Red Cross. It also co-sponsored the Burns Charity Supper, which raised more than 28,000 euros. The Burns Suppers, organised by the Robert Burns International Foundation, have been held in the ballroom of the Corinthia Hotel, Budapest, since 2004. The Foundation’s mission is to help sick and underprivileged children in Hungary.
It also hosted a St George Charity event, which raised more than 5,000 euros.
ST PETERSBURG
For over nine years, Corinthia St Petersburg has supported SOS Children’s Villages, an international non-profit, non-governmental charity organisation helping orphans. https://sos-dd.ru/ .
Each December, Corinthia St Petersburg hosts a charity event for kids with a creative masterclass, sweet treats, and music. This year, they organised a traditional festive event. Children made New Year and Christmas greeting cards in a master class with St Petersburg fashion designer Asya Kogel.
Corinthia St Petersburg donated a significant amount of items, such as curtains, pillows, bed linen, sofas and furniture items, etc., to several city charity organisations in St. Petersburg, including Malteser Hilfsdienst for homeless and poor people; St. Petersburg Center for supporting homeless people; Nursing homes Care and Kind Hearts; an orphan house for disabled children and adults in Peterhof city; and the Charity organisation Perspectives, which helps children with disabilities in orphanages and daycare centres. https://perspektivy.ru/eng/
In 2022, traditional support was offered to the International Women’s Club with a gift voucher for the lottery in their charity Winter Bazar.
CORINTHIA ST GEORGE’S, MARINA HOTEL, RADISSON ST JULIANS
In October, the team at Corinthia St George’s Bay, in collaboration with Nature Trust, took part in a clean-up in the Pembroke area to raise awareness of sustainability and a more ecological future. https://www.facebook.com/CorinthiaStGeorgesBay/photos/pcb.10158286729041735/10158286724751735
Over the summer, employees from across the three Corinthia St Julian’s operations joined forces to raise money for the Foundation for Social Welfare Services – Children’s Unit, a noteworthy cause that continues to make a tangible difference to many young lives. https://www.facebook.com/CorinthiaStGeorgesBay/photos/10158411968236735
They held a Pink October Fundraising event in aid of Marigold: https://www.facebook.com/CorinthiaStGeorgesBay/photos/pcb.10158255763321735/10158255759976735/ Throughout October, the three St Julians hotels raised awareness and funds for The Marigold Foundation – Malta, a local non-profit organisation whose objective is to empower people and strengthen voices positively. The initiative, called ‘know your apples,’ is intended to promote screening and prevention of cancer.
PRAGUE
Corinthia Prague collected gifts for children in the foster home Klokánek, which is a facility for children requiring immediate assistance. Its mission is to protect the child when separated from parents and other loved ones, and support the child’s contact with its family and other loved ones during the child’s stay in the facility.
Corinthia Prague also organised a St Nicolas Christmas Party for the children of all employees of the hotel and furthermore sponsored a conference of orphanages’ directors. https://c4c.cz/en/homepage-2/
November saw a well-organised initiative of blood donation by hotel employees. One cannot omit a collection of gifts for children for Klánovice Children’s Home and vouchers offered in fundraising activities to support social causes.
TUNIS
Ramada Plaza continues working on the Green Project by Wyndham, this year adding glass recycling. This project strives to improve the health and sustainability of our planet with green, or eco-friendly, hotels and resorts.
TRIPOLI
Corinthia Tripoli once again resorted to humanitarian ways to assist staff and their families who found themselves in financial and humane difficulties.
DANISH BAKERY
Danish Bakery helped out various entities with donations and provision of supplies.
These entities included, amongst others: Dar tal-Providenza, which offers individualised residential services to persons with disabilities in a family-like environment that enhances and maximises their abilities to ensure their full participation in society; Fondazjoni Wens, which enhances the quality of life of disabled persons through innovative personalised support, expertise, and advocacy; Puttinu Cares which is a successful children’s cancer support group; and various schools, band clubs and other historical and cultural groups.
GOLDEN SANDS
Radisson Blu Resort & Spa, Golden Sands supported through donations the SOS Children’s Village, which provides a typical family environment to children who have lost or are at risk of losing parental care; Ajay Shrestha, a young Nepalese who died in a traffic accident in Malta; Puttinu Cares, Len and Jacob Wellness Fund (Nine-year-old twins Len and Jacob who have a rare disability); Life Network Foundation Malta, which fosters a culture that embraces and celebrates every human life; and Food Bank Malta Foundation whose motto is ‘We believe no child or adult should ever experience hunger.’
PANORAMA HOTEL PRAGUE
Organised another run (for the 11th year) in aid of Foundation Světluška, which helps blind people financially with material help, guidance dogs, development, and searching for a job. Panorama also organised another run in aid of Běh Advenťáka & Adventní běhání, to help disabled children.
For the 8th year, Panorama assisted the Foundation Moje Velké Přání My big wish, fulfilling wishes of elderly citizens, disabled elders or those who are alone and do not have the finances or power to fulfil the wish themselves. Wishes are experience-wishes such as visiting a museum, visiting an old friend or going to the theatre etc. Volunteers accompany seniors to these events to make them even more enjoyable. For the second year, Panorama has also contributed to the Charity concert for this Foundation, My big wish.
CORINTHIA LISBON
Donated meals to Acreditar (responsible for monitoring the legislative situation for supporting children with cancer and their families) during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Corinthia Lisbon gathered supplies, medicines, and clothing for the Ukrainian refugees in Portugal and also hosted two Ukrainian families at two hotel apartments.
Donations were also made to Cruz Vermelha Portuguesa (Portuguese Red Cross): Toys and clothing were collected by Corinthia Lisbon employees and their families throughout the year and donated to Cruz Vermelha Portuguesa.
Miguel, a four-year-old boy with cerebral palsy, received tender love and attention. The therapy and physiotherapy sessions are still being paid for with plastic bottle caps collected in the hotel’s restaurants, rooms, and other areas.
Local Police and Firefighters were also kept in mind. Throughout the year, meals were donated to local firefighters. Food, goods, and coffee machines were also donated to local police officers and stations.
Refood Benfica helps the neediest. The hotel has a food waste-control programme in place. Every day, untouched leftover food is collected and donated to Refood Benfica.
QP
CSR Focus Group is made up of 13 colleagues. Meetings were always held remotely between the group. A WhatsApp chat was created to have regular updates and ideas shared between the Focus Group members.
Caritas Malta: This organisation which forms part of Caritas International, boasts of a counselling unit, social work unit, employee assistance programme, community well-being and development unit, and is now developing a venture between multiple shareholders to finance and reconstruct Fondazzjoni Caritas Malta as a new service centre … one building with a multitude of services. A site visit was conducted to both Bahar ic-Caghaq and San Blas Rehab Centre in Zebbug. The initiative includes QP’s direct involvement in improving facilities at the prison inmates’ centre and the kitchen area at the latter site. Discussions are to resume in January 2023.
Kiev, Ukraine: A Focus Group actively organised several initiatives. QP managed to put together a considerable monetary donation for Caritas, which in collaboration with Caritas International, collected funds to financially assist people in Ukraine for:
- Provision of food, water, accommodation and personal hygiene items;
- Helping vulnerable people to join their relatives who were living in safe areas;
- Developing recreational spaces for children to give them the opportunity to participate in sports and activities that alleviate some of the psychological distress they were going through.
A direct channel of communication and collaboration was made with the Consulate of Ukraine in Malta. Items such as food and hygiene items were delivered and made available to both Ukrainian nationals seeking refuge in Malta and others overseas in neighbouring countries of Ukraine.
Since there was a colleague operational in Ukraine at that time, the team got together and prepared an encouraging message of support to show its closeness during such difficult times.
A team member forming part of the Red Cross Organisation, performed voluntary work for 2 weeks at the front between Poland and Ukraine. He was supported by the company and a couple of colleagues who donated vacation leave from their respective unutilised leave.
Parkinson’s Voluntary Organisation: Discussions are underway to support this VO to enhance its prospects of opening a Parkinson’s Centre locally. People living with this neurological condition also need specialised physiotherapists, occupational therapists, specialised nurses, psychologists, specialised speech therapists, sleep experts, and dietitians. There is need for patient-centred care for around 2000 people with Parkinson’s disease.
Richmond Foundation: A number of staff members continued using counselling support services through this NGO. On a general note, statistics provided by Richmond Foundation in November 2022, show a considerable increase in the services provided, such as support via phone calls, chats, meetings and therapy between 2021 and 2022. Following a number of meetings held during 2022, an agreement was reached not to be charged for counselling sessions provided to our staff.
Ronald McDonald House Charities Malta (RMHC Malta): A collaboration with RMHC Malta has been discussed. RMHC hosts educational and specialised support programs designed to give children facing intellectual, developmental or social challenges the essential life skills they need to thrive. QP shall be assisting with the digital documentation of the new Learning Centre in Qawra. In addition, it is in discussions to make use of the facilities during departmental staff meetings and team building activities.
SOAR Hub: SOAR is a peer-support service, which supports women and children survivors of domestic violence who are trying to restart their lives in the community. The service is led by qualified and trained survivors. SOAR offers a range of services, programmes, projects and activities. It runs a support group with weekly social, creative and learning group activities.The collaboration proceeded during 2022 with QP’s direct assistance and support. Discussions are now underway to support further by providing detailed drawing packages, schedules and specifications, as well as associated Bill of Quantities, which shall be used for the funding application and tender process for the selection of contractors. QP shall be reviewing and advising regarding permit conditions relating to the Heritage Superintendence and follow up on the validity of the Restawra Darek grant. PA and BCA documentation will be prepared prior to commencement of works. Condition reports for the neighbouring properties will need updating closer to the date of commencement of works.
Welfare Fund: QP continues promoting this initiative which assists when anyone from its team is in need. A number of employees have contributed to this fund during 2022.
LONDON
Last year Corinthia London had decided to partner with one of the top rate consultancies called BRE to work with them a proper CSR strategy for an all-encompassing approach, including, responsible sourcing, sustainability, philanthropy, charity, staff welfare, social community engagement etc. Corinthia Hotel London’s commitment was formulated earlier in 2022 after the work with BRE was completed.
They now have a core CSR committee which consist of four Executives who have taken responsibility of bringing this CSR promise into practice. Its commitment as a Hotel was formulated earlier this year in a one pager:
MALTA FAIRS AND CONVENTIONS CENTRE (MFCC)
MFCC has provided wooden huts to San Gwann primary school to develop the school garden by growing plants inside these huts and generating greater interest among students in Environment and Sustainability. In other words, a greener education.
MFCC participated in the ‘Youth Guarantee – work exposure placement/continued education path’ organised by Jobsplus. They provided adequate job experience and continued education to a sponsored student who has successfully completed 240 hours. MFCC offered him a full-time job. The person had issues with learning, but MFCC managed to help the candidate overcome his problems.
CORINTHIA CATERERS
For several years, Corinthia Caterers have been helping Dar il-Kaptan Foundation for Respite Care services to any person with a disability, irrespective of their condition or financial situation.
They attend to the Foundation’s catering needs when they want to hold a party or for their Christmas festivity. Furthermore, Corinthia Caterers took the initiative to collect a sum from staff members and presented a handsome amount to Dar il-Kaptan.
…………
After all this, the incisive words of motivational performer Jana Stanfield come to mind: “I cannot do all the good that the world needs. But the world needs all the good that I can do.”
Indeed a fine array of Corinthia’s Golden hearts.