“Call for Europe” initiative supports 48 projects across 12 UniCredit countries:
UniCredit banks and Foundation support local projects to help children with 360,000 euros
- Three Austrian projects receive a total amount of 30,000 euros
In December 2020, UniCredit Foundation launched for the second year the “Call for Europe” initiative with the aim to identify and support social projects helping children in the different European countries where UniCredit operates outside of Italy. The Group’s banks were asked to provide UniCredit Foundation with a shortlist of relevant local projects in each country by the end of February 2021 and an expert jury appointed by the Foundation selected the winning initiatives to be granted a total of 30,000 euros per country split among the winning projects.
48 projects were selected to receive the Foundation’s support this time across 12 UniCredit countries: Germany, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia. This included initiatives focused on supporting children’s education and learning, fostering inclusion, and providing dedicated facilities for their activities and health needs.
Robert Zadrazil, CEO of UniCredit Bank Austria: “As UniCredit Bank Austria we were maintaining our social commitment also during the Corona crisis, and keep it that way. Especially in difficult times such as these, it is particularly important for us to promote and reward local charitable efforts.”
Maurizio Beretta, Chairman of the UniCredit Foundation, commented: “The Call for Europe initiative allows us to continue to raise awareness of children’s needs in our territories across Europe further encouraging all our local banks to actively monitor and engage with relevant solidarity projects in their communities. This is in line with our shared goal of supporting the needs of all the local communities where we operate and constantly working to generate a positive social impact in our countries.”
The winning projects in 2021 for Austria were:
- Schritt für Schritt supports developmentally delayed children and adolescents on their way to the greatest possible independence. The best possible coping with everyday life is in the priority.
- STARTKLAR – “Ready to take off” teaches children aged 2 to 6 years, with a first language other than German, the German language through play and lots of enthusiasm.
- Vienna Hobby Lobby – Freizeitverein für Kinder und Jugendliche provides young people with an environment in which they can develop their full potential through sport
UniCredit Foundation stays committed to supporting the communities in all the markets in which UniCredit is present. Last year, in response to the coronavirus emergency, the Foundation made significant donations in the various markets of the Group to support hospitals as well as different non-profit organisations on the front lines in the fight against the virus. This included contributing a total of over 1.2 million euros alongside funds raised from UniCredit employees to support three of the Italian hospitals most involved in the battle against COVID-19, 1.2 million euros donated for coronavirus emergency initiatives in Italy and 190 000 euros donated in support of fundraising initiatives in other Group countries in Europe.
About UniCredit
UniCredit is a simple successful pan-European Commercial Bank, with a fully plugged in CIB, delivering a unique Western, Central and Eastern European network to its extensive client franchise. UniCredit offers both local and international expertise to its clients, providing them with unparalleled access to leading banks in its 13 core markets through its European banking network: Italy, Germany, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia. Leveraging on an international network of representative offices and branches, UniCredit serves clients in another 16 countries worldwide.
About UniCredit Foundation
UniCredit Foundation is a corporate foundation established in 2003 in order to contribute to the development of solidarity and philanthropy in the communities and regions where it operates, primarily in the geographical areas in which UniCredit is present. Through the transfer of financial resources and management skills typical of the company, UniCredit Foundation supports projects for significant social impact and innovation, by local non-profits.
Enquiries
UniCredit Bank Austria Media Relations
Volker Moser, Tel.: +43 (0)5 05 05-52854
Email: volker.moser@unicreditgroup.at