During this challenge due to the global pandemic, EYATH’s corporate social responsibility has unfortunately acquired new priorities, vital to public health.
The company donated specialized anesthesia equipment, necessary for the intubation of patients with COVID-19, at the University General Hospital AHEPA. At the same time, the Board of Directors of EYATH decided to financially support the interdisciplinary team of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki that carries out the analyzes of wastewater samples from the Wastewater Treatment Plant of Thessaloniki. The systematic monitoring of the virus genome in the wastewater from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, in collaboration with EYATH, is a project of very important scientific interest and enormous health importance, a project that assists the effort of the Greek State in dealing with the pandemic.
From the beginning of the health crisis, the new water connections are treated as a priority, given the vital importance of water for the hygiene of the citizens, while of course an employment business plan was drawn up concerning the security staff, teleworking and shift workers.
Increasing social needs and linking the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to the achievement of strategic business goals have intensified the dialogue on corporate responsibility at the global level.
EYATH seeks to be a worthy peer of similar companies internationally, highlighting access to water for all, a reduced environmental footprint and a responsible attitude with respect to water resources as the ideas spearheading its CSR programme.
The company’s human resources, consumers, investors, and especially EYATH’s local community, shape through fruitful dialogue its CSR processes, with a view to improving quality of life, health and,
of course, the company’s sustainability.
On this basis, our fields of action, in terms of CSR, are articulated as follows:
EYATH ‘s commitment to environmental protection runs through the day-to-day operation of the company, its everyday practice and its timely compliance with the relevant legislation.
Specifically, EYATH:
- fully implements Community and national environmental legislation to minimise the impact of its activities on the environment,
- develops environmental research and development actions,
- modernises its networks to reduce leakage,
- collaborates with similar European companies and bodies in the context of research actions on the impact of climate change on the aquifer, contributing to the promotion of sustainable development solutions in our region and more broadly in SE Europe. It participates actively in the European Federation of National Associations of Water and Wastewater Services (EUREAU I-II),
- invests in the upgrading of its facilities for the reduction of energy consumption,
- actively contributes to the surface cleaning of the Gulf of Thessaloniki from floating objects and oil spills or pollution incidents,
- implements a re-use program for treated water at the Thessaloniki Wastewater Treatment Facility to irrigate areas of land in the Halastra – Kalohori plains during droughts
- ensures environmentally and socially beneficial management of sewage sludge. It seeks to improve the biogas production unit running on sewage sludge which is already in operation at the Sindos Biological Treatment Plant
- systematically recycles at the workplace and uses environmentally-friendly materials.
- and the drinking water and sewerage – environment quality control labs apply an ISO 17025 quality management system.
EYATH’s culture, structures and operations follow a customer-oriented approach, with the strengthening of the local community being permanently on our agenda.
We achieve this thanks to:
- innovative procedures and automated processes to ensure better customer service (e-transactions, web-banking, payments via an extensive network of supermarkets, and other similar ideas);
- a social tariff for vulnerable groups and a broad spectrum of repayment plans for overdue debts for all debtors;
- donations in areas which have been declared in a state of civil emergency;
- campaigns to raise public awareness of issues of common interest
- material assistance (providing radiators) and infrastructure works (water-sewerage facilities) to refugee camps;
- helping our unemployed fellow citizens;
- encouraging staff to get involved in volunteering (by collecting food or other items for the poor, participating in running events that share a social cause, etc.);
- collaboration with the academic community at specialist and general events on environmental issues and grants offered for the AUTH;
- a programme entitled “The sewerage cycle in Thessaloniki” (approved by the Ministry of Education) to brief primary and secondary school pupils about daily influxes to the sewerage network and raise their awareness;
- educational programmes for children as part of the Thessaloniki International Fair;
- daily visits by tens of primary and secondary school pupils, as well as groups and individual visitors to the Water Supply Museum;
- an archive of maps, letters and other documents kept at the Water Supply Museum which cover the history of water supply in Thessaloniki and are available to any interested parties.
EYATH is its people. The company systematically supports employee self-improvement and progress, invests in the development of skills and lifelong training of its staff, rewards the achievements of its employees’ children and implements policies ensuring occupational health and safety. Promoting the notions of well-being and fair play, it supports on a regular basis events of local sports clubs and associations, contributing to cultural, sports and art activities in the city.
