From the very beginning, ASA has focused on people and their needs. Our business activities involve social and environmental aspects. Aiming at the improvement of Poles’ quality of life, we are engaged in various projects and cooperation with scientists, i.e. projects oriented towards innovativeness of Polish science.
We conduct educational activities to promote a proactive attitude to health, because low public health awareness contributes to the late detection of diseases. We also pay considerable attention to ecological activities in the product manufacturing and selling processes.
The company’s activities taking into account social and environmental aspects comprise cooperation with organisations, institutions, groups and people from local and national communities.
Areas of corporate social responsibility:
1.Social commitment
a) Cooperation with the Opole University of Technology concerning the development and implementation of an innovative method of human joints testing.
As part of the project, a team led by Dr. Dawid Bączkowicz from the Institute of Physiotherapy of the Opole University of Technology was examining the joints of the population of the Opole region for several months. The research, in which more than 600 people participated, used an innovative vibroacoustic method developed at the Opole University of Technology. This method allows detection of joint degeneration even at a very early stage, which facilitates proper early treatment and prevention consisting in pharmacotherapy, supplementation, physiotherapy or changes in eating habits.
As part of long-term cooperation with the Opole University of Technology and the Institute of Physiotherapy, the university authorities invited a representative of our company to join the Council of External Stakeholders in the field of physiotherapy. We are working together to continuously improve the quality of physiotherapy education.
(b) Free densitometric testing for osteoporosis throughout Poland.
c) Establishment and support of the ASA Running for Health Team – its aim is to promote and disseminate running as the simplest form of physical activity.
d) Support for the “Get on the bike” project – initiatives of young people active in sports, who promoted cycling tourism in the Głubczycki district as a form of spending free time. With the financial support of the European Commission, the Regional Cultural Association “Fantazja” and ASA, the group of Głubczyce cyclists “Escapade” accomplished the goals indicated at www.wsiadznarower.pl.
(e) Support for the ‘Tacy Sami’ [The Same] Association. ASA supports the “Tacy Sami” Association of Parents of Children with Disabilities, which is a non-governmental public benefit organization operating in the Głubczycki district. The Association exists thanks to the involvement of a group of friends and parents of disabled children. They carry out their activities only thanks to donations and contributions of the association members. More at http://www.tacy-sami.org/index.php/podziekowania.
The company employees are also involved in the activities of the association; they have donated clothing and toys, financial support, teaching aids for occupational therapy, cleaning products, and materials for the renovation of the associations’ premises.
(f) The “Forward the Good” relay of companies – The event was held during the Opole Marathon twice, in 2012 and 2013.
In both races, we collected funds for the treatment and rehabilitation of Lena Wysoczańska, who suffers from the Prader-Willi syndrome.
g) Indian Summer – since 1 June 2011 ASA has been a partner in the statutory activities of the INDIAN SUMMER organisation – the Association for the Support of Elderly People.
The INDIAN SUMMER Association from Opole brings together people professionally involved in helping persons in the so-called autumn of life (such as physiotherapists, physicians, community nurses, academic teachers, economists, physiotherapy and law students). It is a nationwide association, with particular emphasis on the Opole Silesia region. The basic objective of the Association is to provide broadly understood assistance to the elderly, disabled persons and victims of traffic accidents.
http://babielato.opole.pl/
Thanks to the financial support of ASA, the following activities were carried out in the Opolskie province:
- exercises – conducting specialist physiotherapy in musculoskeletal dysfunctions, rehabilitation aimed at preventing falls of elderly people, and reducing their consequences leading to disability;
- maintaining physical activity of the elderly,
- activities related to counteracting social exclusion of disabled and elderly people through social rehabilitation and community integration
As part of this cooperation, during these events senior citizens were also able to benefit from free advice offered by a lawyer, a psychologist, and a dietician. Each of the participants had the opportunity to consult their problems with a specialist. As seniors nowadays have more and more legal and psychological problems, feeling powerless and unsupported in many situations, those meetings were all the more valuable for them.
h) Participation in the #RatujeBoPracuje social campaign initiated by the Częstochowa BCC and Stoelzle Częstochowa. The aim is to appreciate all people who contribute to overcoming the crisis related to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
i) Participation in the Business for Hospitals campaign coordinated by the Business Centre Club. Our cooperation and the jointly achieved effect were noticed and awarded with a special distinction in the category of Socially Involved in Fighting the COVID-19 Epidemic in the Benefactor of the Year Competition organised by the Academy for the Development of Philanthropy in Poland. Together with other companies, we donated about 5 million zlotys as well as respirators, cardiac monitors, autoclaves, personal protective equipment and disinfection services, and even several thousand eggs to children’s hospitals. There were 18 coordinated initiatives, which resulted in real support for hospitals.
2. The natural environment
Projects implemented within this area include, among others, reduction of the amount of produced waste, emission of pollutants and sewage – mainly through the improvement of the processes and procedures, the modernization of the machinery and infrastructure:
– improving water and wastewater management;
– reducing the amount of generated waste;
– reusing paper and cardboard packaging;
– segregating waste transferred to downstream authorised consignees holding relevant decisions on the basis of concluded contracts;
– installing modern equipment such as an energy-efficient air-conditioning and ventilation system with two recuperators whose task is to recover heat from the air exhausted from the premises, an oil-free compressor, electric forklifts;
– an implemented and certified ISO 14001:2004 system;
– the Environmental Policy approved by the top management – its content communicated to employees – available at: http://www.asa.eu/sites/default/files/bg_pics/asa_polityka.pdf.
– approval for the Book of the Integrated Management System which contains the Environmental Policy; current edition of Book No. 15 of 17 June 2013;
– environmental education of employees through internal training courses conducted by internal/external coaches;
– external environmental education is conducted through the REKOPOL Recovery Organization, with which ASA has signed an agreement to take over the obligation to recover and recycle packaging, including conducting environmental education.