Volunteering with Purpose
At Orbia, where purpose comes to life, we believe all our employees are a force for good that can help us advance life around the world. Through our Volunteering with Purpose program, we promote the engagement of our employees with the environment, society at large, and the local communities surrounding our global operations through corporate volunteering activities.
Volunteering Impact for WASH & Water Management
Since 2021, Orbia Building & Infrastructure (Wavin) has partnered with the TECHO Foundation across multiple Latin American countries—Colombia, Peru, Brazil, Argentina and Guatemala—to significantly improve access to clean water and basic sanitation for communities near Orbia's operations.
During 2023, a total of 103 Orbia employees have volunteered their expertise and time, contributing 782 hours in total to the installation of rainwater harvesting systems, sanitation facilities, water storage tanks and structural improvements to homes. By actively participating in these volunteer initiatives, employees have improved the quality of life of vulnerable populations, resulting in 89 direct beneficiaries, addressing critical local water management and WASH challenges.
Nurturing Growth Through Drip Irrigation Solutions
In collaboration with the Keren Kayemet Leisrael foundation, Orbia Precision Agriculture (Netafim) conducted a volunteering activity that focused on enhancing the school's food gardens. A team of 11 volunteers from Netafim and Orbia corporate collectively contributed a total of 44 hours to support this impactful initiative.
As part of this effort, Netafim donated two family drip irrigation kits to be installed in the middle school and preschool sections, complementing the food gardening areas previously constructed with Orbia's support during past engaging activities, benefiting approximately 180 students.
The initiative aimed to use the donated kits as educational tools, empowering students to practice water-efficient agriculture while nurturing their school gardens, and promoting a sustainable learning environment.
Women Empowerment Through Cultivating Gardens
In Cartagena, Colombia, an Orbia Polymer Solutions (Vestolit) volunteer initiative was implemented to empower females as heads of the households. The program focused on growing vegetables in home gardens to sell to restaurants in the city. Thirty-three volunteers spent 132 hours helping prepare the gardens, plant the first seeds, teach gardening techniques and interact with families benefiting from the program.
This effort had a direct impact on 10 women and indirectly benefited about 50 family members. With the successful harvest of three crops, these women have not only gained expertise in gardening but also established bank accounts to manage the profits from their sales. The project has encouraged unity within households, promoted economic autonomy and empowered women in their communities.
Inspiring STEM Pathways with Educational Workshops
Orbia Fluorinated Solutions (Koura) partnered with the Education for Sharing (EpC) association to conduct an annual program of workshops called "My STEM Life Plan", where 27 Orbia STEM ambassadors actively participated, contributing 17 collective hours. These workshops were held at eight schools in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, and benefited 493 middle and high school students by introducing them to STEM careers and inspiring them to pursue related paths.
Scarleth, a student from the Lázaro Cárdenas del Río distance learning high school shared her experience by saying, "We learned a lot; we discovered careers within STEM that were new to us. These sessions helped us acquire knowledge that we didn't have before, such as understanding SMART and SWOT objectives."
Through the workshops, students explored the benefits of STEM jobs, discovering how these fields address real-world problems while setting goals for their STEM careers. Workshops also highlighted crucial social-emotional skills, social awareness, relationship building and advocacy for gender equality in STEM fields.
Lab Creation to Empower Science Education
Ten Orbia Connectivity Solutions (Dura-Line) volunteers dedicated a total of 240 hours to create a cutting-edge science lab at Keshav Smriti High School in Goa, India. Along with an impactful donation, their efforts transformed the space into a hub for 150 students to explore, learn and innovate.
The laboratory, inaugurated on National Science Day, was equipped with essentials like water access intakes, electricity and modern equipment. Volunteers organized engaging activities, igniting curiosity through quizzes, poster-making and a captivating Science Fair.
Beyond constructing a lab, this initiative aims to fuel educational empowerment, fostering a culture of innovation and learning.
Volunteering for Charitable Impact
At Orbia Polymer Solutions (Alphagary), our volunteering teams have organized numerous successful volunteering events focused on giving back to neighboring communities.
For example, in Pineville, N.C., U.S., volunteers dedicated their time to collecting nearly 800 cans of food, ensuring approximately 960 meals for local Charlotte families in need. This effort resulted in filling up four collection boxes.
Similarly, in Denver, Pa., U.S., volunteers gathered essential back-to-school supplies intended for donation to a nearby elementary school. These initiatives reflect their commitment to charitable giving and actively supporting the communities.
