Make a difference? Yes, we can!
Our roots are in Belgium, but the big wide world is our home. Result? Neighbours from all walks of life, positions, colours and origins. Communities with whom we have become so entangled over the years. With some because we share the same postal code, but with others because we have slipped into their homes through one of our products. Whoever they are, we want to make a difference. We want to secure our licence to operate and do our bit by donating products, providing financial support, caring for the environment as well as for all employees, stakeholders and other important members of the community.
As one would expect of a good neighbor, community involvement is deeply rooted in Cartamundi’s DNA. We are not an isolated institution, but influence and are influenced by numerous groups and individuals. Therefore, we want to strengthen the positive effects. By investing in expertise, manpower, facilities and networks in and especially with the local community. This does not always result in financial gain, but some benefits cannot be expressed in financial terms.
Everybody has the right to play
Cartamundi’s card and board games are for everyone. We focus on increasing our accessibility to physically, financially or socially vulnerable groups. We donate games to people who live in poverty and find it difficult to buy toys for their children. To patients who need a welcome distraction during a hospital stay. Or to daycare centers or schools, for educational reasons.
“Building a hospital in less than a week requires the solidarity of lots of people. We had to pitch in by offering what we’re good at: playing cards”
Diego Ruiz de Gauna López, Marketing Manager Fournier
Raising money, donating money
Another way of showing our commitment to the local community is by providing financial support to a number of organizations. Often, a group of our employees volunteer to organize very concrete fundraising actions to support a local entity. The Charity Committee of Cartamundi Ireland for example each year organizes a wide range of activities to raise money for local and national children’s charities. But we are also setting aside money in our Cartamundi Global Fund, with which we want to support the future of children and young people between 1 and 18 years old.
“We want to contribute to a bright future for the generations to come”
An Christiaen, Global Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, Cartamundi Group
The added value of our production facilities
The acute shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) gave Cartamundi Ireland the idea of putting together medical test kits at the Cartamundi factory in Waterford in order to support the local community. Also elsewhere in the world, we examined how we could use our existing production facilities to make a difference to various communities during this overpowering crisis. At Cartamundi North America, for example, they produced tens of thousands of face shields for weeks and then donated them to various hospitals, health workers and first responders. Not to mention Medimundi, the new spin-off of Cartamundi and the University of Antwerp. The much-needed FFP2 and FFP3 respiratory masks have been rolling off the production line in the Turnhout plant, destined for the national and international markets.
“We are taking an important step in society”
David Germis, CEO Medimundi
Good Neighbor Report
Learn more about our community involvement efforts in our Good Neighbor Report.