BIC - 2020 Universal Registration Document

OUR ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, AND SOCIETAL RESPONSIBILITY

Our societal commitment

BIC Italy and the BIC Foundation are now in their third year (2018–2020) of supporting the Indifesa Radio Network , a project by the NGO Terre Des Hommes . Its goal is to counteract bullying, cyberbullying and all forms of discrimination and stereotyping that too often cause children to drop out of school. The project also promotes education to reduce the gender gap in the Italian school system. In addition, during the Covid-19 lockdown, BIC Italy donated 60,000 writing instruments and marking products to hospitals in the Lombardy Region. BIC Iberia sponsors the Red Cross educational and social project Éxito Escolar (“School Success”), which focuses on vulnerable children in Tarragona province. It addresses the needs of children ages 6 to 16 from difficult social environments, offering them support to improve their quality of life and help them in their studies, meals, habits and personal development. In 2020 BIC’s support totaled 14,000 euros plus the donation of nearly 3,000 writing instruments, benefiting more than 210 children. BIC Amazonia sponsors the Crescer project, which promotes social, cultural and sports programs and community integration, as well as nutrition, providing breakfast, lunch and snacks for children. In education and culture, the project organizes workshops, lectures, holiday celebrations, tours and visits with psychologists and social workers. In 2020 BIC’s support amounted to 16,000 euros, benefiting 710 children and students. In addition, during the Covid-19 lockdown BIC Amazonia donated 120,000 writing instruments to multiple NGOs. In 2020 BIC South Africa renewed its large-scale “Buy a Pen, Donate a Pen” charity products campaign. South Africa is a country that faces enormous educational challenges: more than 2 million of its citizens are illiterate and its unemployment rate exceeds 27%. In this campaign, for each product purchased, BIC South Africa donates one pen to the NGO READ Educational Trust, which distributes them to underprivileged children. As in previous years, the operation was a huge success, with 1.5 million pens donated once again, bringing the overall total to 11.5 million pens in eight years. In 2020 BIC Morocco joined the project through the donation of no fewer than 400,000 units to various NGOs, including the renewed SOS Children’s Village program in Morocco. In line with its actions undertaken with schools, BIC Morocco perpetuates the concept of “illustrated poems” about Values. An inter-school themed poetry competition was organized, conceived to spark children’s thinking, imagination and poetic creativity, and to make them aware of an important value: respect. The children learned the basics of this Value – respect for family, friends, and neighbors – thus contributing to the well-being of their community. The participating schools received free kits of BIC products for their students. In all, no fewer than 1,200 school kits containing pens, pencils, colored pencils, markers, etc., were offered to the young poets. BIC Canada is a partner of the “Krinkle Project,” an initiative that distributes loot bags to children who are temporarily living in women’s shelters in the Greater Toronto Area. In 2020, BIC Inc. donated Stationery products to create more than 50 loot bags for needy children.

Since 2015 BIC Cello (India) has been sponsoring 55 learning centers in remote villages near its Haridwar factory in northern India. The centers are managed by the NGO IIMPACT. The main objective of the project is to provide access to education for underprivileged girls who are not able to attend government-run schools due to social practices in India. Some 2,000 children have benefited from this initiative. In 2020, product donations and financial aid worldwide represented 1.4 million euros (internal valuation), primarily in education (1) , health and emergency aid. Finally, BIC donated pens, coloring products, other writing instruments and shavers, with a total value of 1.3 million euro, to help local communities, hospitals, children and the homeless in the fight against Covid-19.

1.4 million euros in donations and financial aid worldwide in 2020

142 philanthropic projects involving volunteer work, product donations and financial aid carried out worldwide in 2020 (all fields combined).

FINANCIAL BREAKDOWNOF ACTIONS – BIC GROUP – 2020

14% Health and emergency aid

33% Other (environment, sport, etc.)

53% Education

For this indicator, all philanthropic actions in favor of education, including those carried out under commitment # 5, are considered. (1)

129

• BIC GROUP - 2020 UNIVERSAL REGISTRATION DOCUMENT •

Made with FlippingBook Annual report