Copper Heart - Employee Volunteering
We are particularly proud of the "Copper Heart" employee volunteer programme in the KGHM Group, which we run on an international scale. Individual initiatives of employees who have been taking part for years and who spontaneously want to help others by sharing their skills, competencies, knowledge and professional experience, have been integrated and supported at the Group level.
Through joint activities, volunteers develop their own competencies such as leadership, teamwork, communication and analytical or problem-solving skills.
This development pays off later in their careers. Volunteering integrates us strongly and strengthens identification with the company.
In addition, it allows us to support the local community and implement environmental projects.
The "Copper Heart" programme fits perfectly into the Company's Business Strategy. Employee engagement strengthens the Company's image as an organisation supporting local communities, and also serves to improve its own personnel.
ECO-Health
ECO-Health is a programme which KGHM has launched in 2014 as part of its corporate social responsibility.
Today, social responsibility and sustainable development are important elements of business. A company that cares about the development of its own organisation must consider actions, whose aim is to achieve a balance between profitability and the broadly understood interests of society.
CSR is gaining particular importance in the mining industry. Companies like KGHM, due to the nature of their operation, have a particular responsibility for the implemented projects.
In pursuing the mission of social responsibility we know that the Company's stable and successful future is marked by good relations with all of its stakeholders. Hence the necessity of conducting continuous "dialogue" with our stakeholders, which allows to renew the company's important "licence to operate", manifesting itself in social acceptance of business activities.
One of the credible examples of KGHM's responsibility for its social environment is the EKO-Health programme, which main message is health prevention and the promotion of an active lifestyle.
Health-oriented projects under the program are aimed at the largest possible number of recipients in various age groups. By proposing a wide range of program activities, KGHM wants to achieve a balance between business interests and the social interests of the environment in which the Company operates.
Health-oriented activities of the programme include, among others, regular Nordic walking classes for adults and swimming lessons for children.
Nordic walking for adults
We dedicate the Nordic Walking project to people over the age of 35. It consists of cyclical classes with the participation of qualified and experienced instructors in various towns and cities of the Copper Belt. The participants acquire or improve basic walking skills with poles and attend lectures on Nordic walking techniques and principles of a healthy diet.
It is worth adding that Nordic walking is an activity for everyone, regardless of age and condition. It affects the organism in the same way as running, but it does not put excessive strain on joints and the spine. Instead, it relieves the hip and knee joints, the lumbar section of the spine and relaxes the tension of shoulder, neck and back muscles. Moreover, it does not require any special equipment and safely (with a low risk of injury) engages up to 90% of body muscles.
So far, there have been 13 editions of the classes, in which more than 1,800 people have participated.
Swimming lessons for children
Learning to swim consists of cyclical basic swimming lessons for children aged 5 - 10. Classes are held at indoor swimming pools in several towns in the Copper Belt. They are attended (in one edition) by over 350 children, who acquire basic swimming skills under the supervision of qualified instructors from the region's swimming clubs.
Participation of children in swimming classes organised by KGHM is not only learning, having fun and getting used to water, but also provides an opportunity for many people to send their children for lessons with experienced professionals when the household budget does not allow for it.
It is worth adding that swimming is a sport recommended especially for children. It helps to take care of the correct posture and correct curvature of the spine. Thanks to this sport, the child develops in a healthy way, is physically fit, has good physical condition and motor coordination. Water activities also have a very positive effect on the respiratory and circulatory systems.
To date, there have been 10 editions of swimming lessons, attended by approximately 3 000 children.
Recreational gymnastics for seniors
Recreational gymnastics using special hammocks - a project dedicated to seniors, implemented in several towns in the region: Lubin, Legnica, Polkowice, Głogów, Chojnów, Ścinawa and Złotoryja. The classes are held with the participation of movement instructors and physiotherapists. So far, over 250 people aged 55-80 have taken part in the three editions of the project.
The project of specialist classes brings many benefits, e.g:
- strengthens and stretches muscles;
- restores natural mobility of joints;
- restores static balance, thanks to which the motor organs are relieved;
- minimises back and muscle pain;
- improves blood circulation;
- stimulates the immune system;
- supports functioning of internal organs;
- improves memory and concentration;
- helps with sleep problems;
- prevents depression;
- has a comprehensive effect, strengthening and improving the entire body.
All the above-mentioned aspects of the classes are particularly important for older people, who often complain of muscle and joint pains, memory and concentration problems, insomnia or poor blood circulation.
The aim of the exercises is to achieve the greatest possible flexibility of the body and to remove tension and stiffness caused by lack of physical activity. An important element of exercise is the prevention or slowing down of degeneration in the motor system.
In addition, as part of the project, participants took part in medical consultations and group sessions of health coaching. Health coaching was designed to support programme participants in gaining self-confidence, strengthening commitment and motivation for change, and pursuing the process of finding their own effective solutions to problems in the area of health.
Other projects were also implemented as part of the ECO-Health programme:
Fitness for the overweight
This project was addressed to people aged 18 to 55 who are struggling with excess weight. Participation in the fitness classes was preceded by a medical qualification which included medical examinations and medical consultations which aim was to select people who met medical criteria allowing them to participate in the trainings.
Following the medical qualification carried out by MCZ, a company belonging to the KGHM Group, two groups of 30 people took part in three months of classes with qualified fitness instructors in Lubin and Głogów. Systematic training was enriched with consultations with a dietician and medical lectures on overweight/obesity and their consequences.
Football classes with the participation of trainers from the KGHM Football Academy
So far, three editions of these classes have been organised, which took place in ten towns in the region: Bolesławiec, Chojnów, Chocianów, Jawor, Polkowice, Przemków, Prochowice, Rudna, Ścinawa and Złotoryja. They were attended by approximately 200 11- to 12-year-old boys who perfected their football skills and basic motor abilities under the supervision of AP KGHM Zagłębie coaches.
Meetings of well-known athletes from the Copper Belt with children and young people
For several years, KGHM has been supporting Radosław Kawęcki, a swimmer from Głogów - a multiple-time world and European champion in the backstroke style. As part of this cooperation, Radek Kawęcki willingly met with children and young people from primary schools and regional swimming clubs at events organised by KGHM. The opportunity to talk to one of the world's best swimmers and to take part in training with him at a swimming pool is a great event and an inspiration for many young adepts of swimming. So far, students from swimming classes in schools in Lubin, Głogów, Chojnów, Polkowice, Rudna and Legnica have had the opportunity to meet and train with the champion. Kawęcki also conducted classes for KGHM employees who wanted to take advantage of the master's hints and tips in a practical way during joint training.
It is worth mentioning that participation in all projects of the ECO-Zdrowie programme is free of charge.
The Leadership School of KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. "Guides"
As part of this project, we want to find promising young people and educate them in the areas of skills, knowledge and abilities necessary to perform important political, social and business roles in the near future.
What distinguishes us from many other similar initiatives is a unique selection - both the participants themselves, as well as the experts who will share their knowledge with them during lectures and workshops.
For more information about the KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. Leadership School visit www.przewodnicykghm.pl.