annual report 2009 - Aer Lingus

Corporate Social Responsibility Statement Aer Lingus Group Plc – Annual Report 200923Profit Share, Share Ownershipand Pension SchemesEmployees participate in pensions schemesand profit share/share ownership schemes,the values of which are linked to the financialperformance of the Group.Charity, Communityand CustomersCharity and CommunityAer Lingus facilitates staff charitabledonations through payroll deductionsand also encourages and supports staffinvolvement in charitable activities. AerLingus facilitates its employees in payingsubscriptions and volunteering with AirConcern, a Dublin Airport based charity,which provides financial assistance tofamilies in need in the community byworking in partnership with the BallymunMoney Advice Service.Aer Lingus are proud sponsors of theBelfast Giants for the 2009/2010 ice hockeyseason. The airline has supported the teamby flying many of the players from NorthAmerica to Ireland for their tenth season.In conjunction with the sponsorship deal,the airline launched the GIANT Schools’Art Competition, inviting Primary Six classesacross Northern Ireland to design a mascotto represent Aer Lingus on the ice. Thewinning mascot was unveiled at the finalhome game of the Elite league, joining theBelfast Giant’s mascot, ‘Gordie the Gorilla’,on the ice.Aer Lingus for the second year has partneredwith Belfast City Marathon, as a gold sponsor,for the 2010 Marathon. In its 29th year, theevent has gone from strength to strength,attracting many athletes from around theworld. The airline hopes to welcome manyof the participants and spectators on boardwho will travel to the event in May 2010.Change for Good is an innovative partnershipbetween UNICEF (The United NationsChildren’s Fund) and the internationalairline industry. Established in 1987, it is oneof UNICEF’s best-known and longest-runningpartnerships and currently more than10 international airlines support theChange for Good programme.In Ireland, Aer Lingus has been the proudsupporter of the programme since 1997.Thanks to the generous support of AerLingus passengers, management and staff,Change for Good has generated over€7.5 million that UNICEF has used to providea healthier, happier future for millions ofchildren. In 2009, €780,699 was raised onboard Aer Lingus flights.Working in over 150 countries, UNICEFprovides children with health care, cleanwater, nutrition, education, emergency relief,and more. UNICEF is at the forefront ofefforts to reduce child mortality worldwide.Every day, simply by putting leftover notesand coins into Change for Good envelopes,Aer Lingus passengers are supporting UNICEF’smission to do whatever it takes to reduce thenumber of children dying from preventablecauses to zero, by giving children the essentialsfor a safe and healthy childhood. For moreinformation on UNICEF Ireland and theChange for Good partnership, pleasevisit www.unicef.ie.Following the heavy flooding in Ireland inDecember 2009, Aer Lingus cabin crewfacilitated special collections on boardshort-haul flights, raising a total of €53,113.The monies collected were donated toUNICEF Ireland’s Flood Fund to re-buildthe Paediatric Section of the Accident andEmergency Unit and the Children’s PlayRoom in the Mercy Hospital, Cork whichwere completely destroyed in the floods.In January 2010, the Caribbean island ofHaiti was devastated by a severe earthquake,which resulted in widespread destructionleaving thousands dead and many morewithout food or shelter. In response to thisdisaster, Aer Lingus cabin crew facilitatedspecial Change for Good collections duringthe month of January. Collections were madeonboard all short-haul and transatlanticflights for UNICEF Ireland’s EmergencyAppeal for the children of Haiti. The totalsum raised over the two week period was€226,081.In addition, Aer Lingus flew an A330 aircraftdirectly from Dublin to La Romana airportin the Dominican Republic to delivermuch-needed emergency medical andfood supplies to earthquake survivors inHaiti. The mission, which was implementedin co-operation with the Irish aid agencyGOAL, also brought 15 doctors and volunteersto Haiti and carried over 25 tonnes ofaid. Arrangements were made with GOALrepresentatives in Haiti to ensure that,once unloaded, the supplies got to thosewho needed them as quickly as possible.