BONDS OF STEEL BETWEEN US

Press release

 

Ljubljana, Friday, 13 May 2022 – SIJ Group employees took part in various charity activities organised within the framework of the 3rd Community Partnership Day with the slogan "Bonds of Steel Between Us". The event made a significant contribution to the local environments of employees from Jesenice, Ravne na Koroškem, and Ljubljana. One hundred and two volunteers did more than 204 hours of voluntary work in the community, improving the appearance of neighbourhoods and bringing smiles to the faces of vulnerable groups.


Yesterday in the early afternoon, SIJ Group employees took part in the 3rdCommunity Partnership Day, contributing to their local communities. They also joined forces with the athletes from sports clubs in the Koroška and Gorenjska region which they support. The campaign with the slogan "Bonds of Steel Between Us" further strengthened the SIJ Group's bond with local communities. The afternoon was marked by socialising, creativity, and networking as we improved the appearance and well-being of the local community by cleaning up neighbourhoods and spending quality time with vulnerable groups.

In Jesenice, a large group of volunteers once again gathered at the Koroška Bela Primary School. Together with the school staff, the volunteers decorated the atrium and painted the school fence. After all, it is important that the institution which brings up the children of Jesenice is well-kept and welcoming. Another group of volunteers cheered up the residents of the LEPA SI Institute in Hrušica. Children with special needs spent the day with our volunteers a bit differently. They made art, played board games, and honed their skills in becoming pancake masters. The much-awaited community work campaign at the Kres Recreation Centre in Koroška Bela drew the most attention that day. A group of dedicated volunteers, headed by Branko Žerdoner, Managing Director of SIJ Acroni, and Andrej Pogačnik, Director of SIJ SUZ, joined forces with the l

ocal community of Javornik-Koroška Bela as well as the Municipality of Jesenice and its mayor Blaž Račič to clean and freshen up the surroundings of the Kres Recreation Centre, which is now ready for the next stage of renovation. "I am truly pleased that everyone worked together to clean up the area of the former Kres Recreation Centre and prepare it for renovation. I know how important this centre is to the members of our community who spent their quality time here and participated in various sports activities here over 20 years ago. We are here today to jointly make the first steps in bringing the Kres Centre back to life," said Branko Žerdoner, Managing Director of SIJ Acroni, who emphasised, "May this cooperation inspire us to be even more connected and prove that we are stronger together than alone, that we can improve the quality of life in our local communities and environment, and that we are good neighbours to one another."

In Ravne na Koroškem, volunteers joined the residents of the Ravne na Koroškem Social-Welfare and Work Centre for a picnic marked by community work and socialising, where everyone took part in art programmes and fun games. Our volunteers also joined the pupils of the Juričev Drejček Primary School for a picnic of arts, sports, and entertainment. Together with volunteers, which included the Directors of two Koroška-based companies – Viljem Pečnik from SIJ Ravne Systems and Alenka Stres from the SIJ ZIP Centre – children painted scrap tiles for decorating the exterior of the school, played football and volleyball, did dry-land swimming exercises, and put their courage to the test on the zip line. Together with Alojz Buhvald, the Executive Director of Steel Processing of SIJ Metal Ravne, volunteers from other companies in Ravne na Koroškem restored and repainted the fence on the municipal footpath to Čečovje. "The Community Partnership Day means a lot to me, both personally and as the Director of a company for people with disabilities. It is part of the SIJ Group's and our company's social responsibility. The SIJ ZIP Centre also cooperates with the Juričev Drejček Primary School within the framework of the Youth Transition Project, which is implemented by our Centre for Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons in Koroška and is aimed at providing professional assistance to young people with disabilities by facilitating their transition to the next stage of education or the labour market," said Alenka Stres, Director of SIJ ZIP Centre, who is proud of the strong local bonds and joint efforts to support vulnerable youth.

At the Youth Care Centre Malči Belič (MDMB) in Ljubljana, SIJ Group employees and children painted the fence to facilitate its further upgrade. Together with graffiti artist Miha, they learnt the basics of graffiti art and were so impressed that not a single part of the freshly painted concrete fence was left unpainted. "Together, we created a wonderful working environment, socialised, and created graffiti art under Miha's mentorship. In the blink of an eye, the Youth Care Centre came to life to become an attractive temporary residence for children and young adults. Work creates a bonding environment. The picnic at the end, where each participant could make a hamburger of their choice with the help of the educators, also provided many bonding opportunities. The thought that comes to my mind when I think of these events is: 'Let us be the change we want to see in the world.' We organised an unforgettable event for our children and young adults, giving everyone a chance to leave their creative mark," enthused France Rogelj, the Principal of MDMB, after the afternoon marked by socialising.

The SIJ Group is strongly connected to the environment in which its companies operate. The company is well aware they would not be able to do business without support from the local environment and good relations with the people of Jesenice, Ravne na Koroškem, and the surrounding towns. We go the extra mile by regularly working together and supporting one another through such productive and meaningful gatherings. In the three years history of the Community Partnership Day, which was unfortunately postponed twice due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the SIJ Group has donated more than 800 volunteer hours to the communities of Jesenice, Ravne na Koroškem, and Ljubljana, with more than 400 volunteers offering a helping hand at all three locations.

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The SIJ Group is the largest Slovenian vertically integrated metallurgical group. Its products occupy leading positions in European and global niche steel markets. It is among the ten largest business groups in Slovenia, among the largest Slovenian exporters and one of the most important employers in Slovenia.

More information:

SIJ – Slovenska industrija jekla, d.d.

KatjaKrumpak, Head of Corporate Communications

Corporate Communications

Phone: +386 1 242 98 59

Mobile: +386 41 814 041

E-mail: katja.krumpak@sij.si