Yuriy Lazebnikov: “CSR projects increase employee loyalty”
The coronavirus pandemic has become a test for socially responsible businesses around the globe, and our techno holding is no exception. The actions of companies today depend on how they will be perceived tomorrow.
TECHIIA was created just last year and has brought together about 10 business directions: esports, product- and service- IT companies, production and distribution of plush toys, a venture studio, and several other projects. We have an office in Cyprus and Los Angeles, as well as representative offices in Hong Kong and Singapore. Holding is a great tool for improving business performance. A powerful competence center where highly qualified specialists monitor the performance of each of the projects.
Along with the creation of the holding, we have developed a sustainable development policy that is common to all businesses. Over the 2.5 years, the companies have grown 10 times. And simultaneously with the growth, the number of CSR projects, and the number of funds for their implementation have increased. This approach has become a desire and a necessity because we understand that many interested people have come together and that our activities have a direct or indirect impact on them.
Caring for the team
The easiest way, of course, is to implement projects that relate to internal stakeholders, the employees of the holding, and their families. For example, we switched to work-from-home mode faster than the official state quarantine was announced. We care about the balance between work and personal life, even allowing to bring children and pets to the office. We provide workers and their families with health insurance, provide corporate discounts to the gym, organize English lessons, professional workshops, and lectures. We develop professional environments through lectures and workshops by our top experts for colleagues from other companies. The plan includes large-scale projects in partnership with community organizations to develop STEM education in schools.
Also, we actively implement energy-efficient technologies in offices, sort waste, and dispose of it for recycling. Last year, we managed to collect more than a ton of paper and plastic, 500 kg of glass, and 2 kg of batteries. We have hit the mark of 1,000 employees and continue to grow. Last year’s ESAT Employee Satisfaction Survey showed high loyalty to the holding. In different companies, the eNPS (net loyalty index) ranges from 70 to 77 points out of 80.
Presence Territories Development
But the biggest and most interesting challenge is the CSR projects aimed at external stakeholders. In March, we ran the World Charity Marathon, the WeSave! Charity Play esports tournament, during which we raised over $188,000 and donated them to charitable foundations that work directly with WHO. We have created the Techiiia Foundation to implement health projects. For example, we purchased 3 ventilators more than UAH 3 million worth for hospitals in Kropyvnytskyi, Khmelnytskyi, and Kyiv. In 2019, we provided modern surgery equipment for a children’s hospital in Kropyvnytskyi worth over UAH 3.6 million. Thanks to this equipment, doctors performed more than 30 successful operations. For over a year we have been paying for a rehab program in Kyiv for children after major surgery.
Our CSR activities are public and transparent, as it inspires others on good deeds and helps us learn how to run a successful business and make the world better at the same time. Transformation and a long way out from this crisis await Ukraine and the world. But we should keep calm, optimistic, and not giving up sustainable development even in the most challenging times. This is exactly the approach that will help us quickly return to economic stability and a belief in a better future.
