Krka volunteers continue to spread kindness and positivity

Krka’s Week of Charity and Volunteering once again demonstrated how strongly kindness, solidarity, and the willingness to help can unite us. For the twelfth consecutive year, almost one thousand Krka volunteers from Slovenia and 21 other countries where Krka has established its business units came together to engage in charitable acts, spreading the values of volunteering and humanitarianism. This year’s Week, organised under the slogan Always ready to help, concludedwith the traditional Open Doors Day at Krka’s central location in Novo mesto, hosting more than 1,800 Krka employees and their loved ones.

Volunteering is a fundamental part of Krka’s identity

Ever since Krka was established, we have been cultivating a culture of volunteering, and thereby enhancing our social responsibility and humanitarian efforts. Over the past seven decades, volunteering has become a core part of our identity. It was therefore no surprise when, in 2012, the idea emerged to consolidate our volunteering activities into a unified campaign, Krka’s Week of Charity and Volunteering.

This year again, the level of participation in volunteering activities was exceptional. Krka volunteers from Slovenia were joined by colleagues from our business units in Romania, Poland, Czechia, Croatia, Hungary, Germany, Slovakia, Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Portugal, North Macedonia, Belarus, Latvia, Turkmenistan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Italy, and even Mongolia, who organised numerous activities tailored to the needs of their communities.

Krka’s week of selfless acts

We helped people in need, the elderly, children, and persons with special needs. We took the residents of 22 retirement homes on walks, spent time with them, worked with them in the garden, helped them to train their memory, exercised with them, and took part in creative workshops. We organised sports games, puppet shows, swimming at Terme Krka, outdoor activities, and interesting creative and experiential workshops, ranging from art topics to beekeeping, for the pupils and wards of 18 Slovenian institutions, primary schools for special-needs pupils and other institutions.

We joined the volunteers at the Association for Developing Voluntary Work Novo mesto, where we offered learning assistance to children. We assisted the Red Cross and Karitas organisations in distributing donations, preparing basic food packages, and providing home help, including cleaning, wall painting, and various other household chores.

In one week, we managed to collect 2.6 tonnes of clothes, 1,955 food packages (approx. 10.5 tonnes), and 254 kilograms of animal food. We also helped at pet shelters. Krka volunteers responded yet again to the call to donate their blood. This year, 66 litres of this important life fluid were collected in Ljubljana, Novo mesto, Krško and Ljutomer. Donating blood remains an important part of Krka’s culture.

We concluded the Week with an Open Doors Day at Krka’s central location in Novo mesto. We were visited by more than 1,800 Krka employees and their loved ones.

Young faces and fresh energy

We are especially delighted that every year, young colleagues join the campaign, bringing fresh ideas and enthusiasm. This year, 50 new colleagues joined as volunteers to help with various activities, demonstrating that solidarity is a value that we will continue to foster.

Why are we always ready to help?

‘We help because we believe everyone deserves dignity. Because helping others is important. Because too many people are in need. Because too many people lack basic necessities. Because we can brighten someone’s day,’ explain Krka volunteers proudly wearing our distinctive green T-shirts with a heart-in-hands symbol that has represented our volunteer efforts for 12 years.

Being charitable does not require much – just an open heart and a willingness to give our time and energy to others. At Krka, we believe that through our selfless acts, we are building a community where everyone can find their place.

TOTAL CHARITY IMPACT OVER 12 YEARS OF KRKA’S WEEK OF CHARITY AND VOLUNTEERING

• Good deeds brought more than 10,000 Krka volunteers together.
• We collected 36.8 tonnes of clothes, food, books, toys, and personal hygiene items and other necessities for the Slovenian Red Cross and Karitas organisations.
• We donated 1,241 litres of blood.
• We helped prepare 10,950 basic food packages at the Red Cross and Karitas organisations and also helped sort out the clothes and necessities that were collected.
• We organised various workshops and cultural events for the residents of 37 retirement homes.
• We kept company with the wards of 18 institutions, associations and primary schools for special-needs pupils.
• We collected 4.9 tonnes of pet food and helped at pet shelters.
• Krka hosted almost 24,600 Krka employees and other visitors.