Whirlpool EMEA supports Habitat for Humanity’s program whose main goal is to create apartments for people in need. New flats will be built for mothers and their children who experienced family violence.
The long time partnership between Whirlpool and the Habitat for Humanity now is part of a volunteering campaign across the globe to honor Jeff Fettig, the Whirlpool Corporation CEO who decided to step down but remain Chairman of Board and whose commitment towards Habitat for Humanity’s work has been a pillar of the Company’s Social Responsibility.
The aim of the latest joint social campaign by Whirlpool EMEA and Habitat for Humanity, is the adaptation of a former office space in Warsaw into emergency housing. 6 apartments will be created, to serve as temporary shelters for Center for Women’s Rights beneficiaries– women and children who have experienced domestic violence. 20 Whirlpool volunteers from Poland and Slovakia, are involved in the renovation works that are taking place today. The first premises are scheduled to open in later this year.
Joint activities for the Center for Women’s Rights are part of the wider cooperation between Whirlpool EMEA and Habitat for Humanity Poland. This is a part of the housing program for the most vulnerable. The program also includes the so called “HomeLab” initiative. “HomeLab” project proposes a new form of housing support designed, inter alia, for women and children in urgent need of housing. These are affordable long-term rental properties from private owners available through a non-profit rental agency: the Social Rental and Employment Agency. The agency has been launched by Habitat for Humanity Poland Foundation in mid-2017 in Warsaw and is now supporting 40 disadvantaged people in finding stable employment and affordable rental housing.
“We are very proud to confirm once again our support to Habitat for Humanity. Taking active part to such valuable projects confirms our commitment to sustainability, corporate responsibility and maintaining strong connections with the communities where we operate”, said Zygmunt Łopalewski, Government and Media Relations Manager East Europe for Whirlpool EMEA.
“We greatly appreciate the long-term partnership with Whirlpool EMEA, which helps us realize the housing program for people in particularly difficult situations. The program is fully supported by the company – through material and monetary donations, as well as the involvement of employees as volunteers. Such multidimensional co-operation is valuable to us because it enables the program to develop and include more innovative activities, such as the HomeLab Initiative and the completed housing project for the pupils of the institution of guardianship”, said Magdalena Ruszkowska-Cieślak, President of the Habitat for Humanity Poland Foundation.
The collaboration between Whirlpool Corporation and Habitat for Humanity International started in 1999 with the “Every Day, Care” campaign. It was initiated by none other than Whirlpool Corporation’s President Jeff M. Fettig, who is just stepping down after 36 years in position. It has helped 85,000 families in 45 countries so far. Over the years, thousands of Whirlpool employees not only regularly join the volunteers in helping to build new houses all over the world, but also become parts of the charity works in disaster-stricken areas. The collaboration was transferred to EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) in 2004. We have managed to help over 75,000 families find or renovate a house, with construction projects in 37 countries of the EMEA area. Whirlpool has also donated over 1100 household appliances to help families in need.
This initiative is perfectly in line with Whirlpool EMEA’s new CSR strategy, which works on three fronts: access to food/food safety & responsible consumption, housing and the promotion of employability for the young. Besides Whirlpool Corporation has always promoted a business model in line the expectations of all its stakeholders. Its CSR and sustainability commitment aims to create a virtuous system based on initiatives to guarantee and safeguard welfare and respond to the needs of the environment and communities wherever the Company operates. This commitment translates on a daily basis into the creation of innovative and low environmental impact technological solutions and more efficient management of production and distribution processes.