employee involvement
volunteering
Since 1991, the Orange Foundation has encouraged employees to volunteer to help people with autism and their families in France. Since 2006, the scope of employee volunteering has enlarged, to cover all areas where the Foundation supports corporate philanthropy projects. Today, over 220 employees volunteer regularly, on their free time, to help non-profit associations in the health/disability, education and cultural areas. They are members of the Orange Solidarité non-profit association which matches employee volunteers with associations that need their knowledge, skills and talent.
In many countries across the Orange footprint, volunteer programmes reach out to help people communicate and live better lives, including in Romania, Switzerland, Egypt and Mali.
proposing projects
Many employees are active in non-profit associations during their free time. If the association they support is working in an area of the Group’s corporate philanthropy policy, the employee can propose a project for funding through the process established by the Orange Foundation. This possibility exists in France, as well as in several countries of the Orange footprint, including Slovakia and Ivory Coast.
In France for example, every year approximately 30 projects proposed by employees are validated by the Foundation’s various selection committees and receive funding. The employee then plays an important role in follow-up and communication about the project.
special programmes
The Orange Foundation encourages employees with special talents to use them to contribute to the causes supported by the Group. Some organise sports events to raise additional funds for certain projects such as adapted vacation camps for children with autism, or training sessions for autism professionals. Others organise weekend yard sales where employees bring whatever clothes, toys, books or furniture that they no longer need and the proceeds of the sale go towards a corporate philanthropy project in France, or in one of the countries of the Orange footprint.
Group-wide initiatives are also organised by the Orange Foundation. For example in 2007, 100 000 employees at 250 sites of the Group in 12 countries of the Orange footprint participated in an eye-glasses collection drive to help people with sight impairment in Africa. 1.5 tons, which means approximately 35 000 pairs of glasses and glasses cases were collected and then recycled by Medico, subsidiary of the Lions Club International association. They were distributed to the children and adults who needed them.
international volunteering
Orange is all about helping people communicate, so it’s only natural that the Orange Foundation creates bonds across borders and cultures. One of the ways it does this is by encouraging employees to volunteer for projects linked to the company’s corporate philanthropy policy, in countries within our Group’s footprint. Missions are organised primarily in Africa and Asia, with the help of associations that are responsible for identifying projects in the countries, in coordination with the Orange Foundation and country foundations and teams.
