Society

The Bekaert plants in Slovakia supported local schools through donation projects enabling the purchase of interactive screens and other educational material. The Hlohovec plant also hosted students from local colleges to interactive learning sessions on wire drawing technologies. 

Ideal Alambrec, our plant in Ecuador, organized a summer camp for the employees’ children. 146 children between 6 and 12 years participated in a variety of activities during two weeks. The activities included sports, crafts, culinary activities and also workshops that increase the awareness for climate change and the protection of the environment. 

In Brazil, 733 students participated in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) project of our joint venture Belgo Bekaert Arames. The project contributes to improving the quality of science education and targets both teachers and students. In 2019 the project included workshops on robotics. 

Also in Brazil, Belgo Bekaert Arames runs the “Vida + Segura” program that aims at increasing awareness for the prevention of accidents at home. The initiative targets elementary school students and children of employees. 3 220 children benefited from these educational activities in 2019.

More than 90 women participated in courses conducted by Inchalam, one of our plants in Chile. During these trainings, the participants acquired administrative and technical skills and learned competences that stimulate entrepreneurship. 

In China, Bekaert has continued building strong relationships with various schools. Bekaert in Weihai, for example, has supported the Xiyuan Center Kindergarten since 2015. To celebrate International Children’s Day in 2019, Bekaert in Weihai initiated a project to support the Xiyuan Center Kindergarten in the purchase of materials that stimulate the children's creative thinking.

All over the world, Bekaert supports local health initiatives. 

At the occasion of ‘World Blood Donor Day' colleagues of our Chinese plants and of our Ranjangaon Campus (India) organized a blood donation camp. 

Our teams in Czech Republic and Turkey collected funds for local charity by participating in running competitions. The colleagues from Marietta (US) supported a local primary school. The donation gives them the ability to provide a healthy lunch to the children of low-income families.

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Bekaert in Lipetsk (Russia), the team built a playground for children in Gryazi. This was a joint initiative between Bekaert and the local authorities. 

In Van Buren (US) our team partnered with a local organization that supports the wellbeing of children. Over 70 Bekaert colleagues installed a new fence around the club’s field and constructed a handicap-accessible wooden play structure. The play area was inaugurated at a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by more than 200 children and several community leaders.

From the outbreak of the new corona virus onwards, Bekaert has used its global network to timely provide personal protection equipment to its own employees and as donations to hospitals.