Haier Europe’s pledge for the humanitarian emergency in Turkey and Syria
In line with its Zero Distance philosophy, Haier Europe – part of Haier Smart Home, number one company globally in major home appliances – operating with the Haier, Candy and Hoover brands, leads efforts to support communities affected by the earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria.
The company took action to support disaster relief efforts providing basic necessities to affected people in the form of trucks of drinking water, bread and pasteurized food. At the same time, electricity generators, heaters and metal cutters were delivered, to help reception centres and people who have lost their homes.
Some of the major challenges in the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes include limited access to facilities for hygiene and personal care, affecting the dignity and wellbeing of victims in the area. Haier Europe secured access to washing services to part of the affected communities with a donation to the Ministry of Interior Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency of laundry containers installations: mobile washing stations that were installed in the devastated cities of Gaziantep, Hatay, and Malatya.
In addition to material donations, Haier Europe has launched a call for monetary donations through its employee base across Italy and Turkey, as well as other countries where the company operates. Haier Europe will match all employee donations euro for euro, once again supporting the work of the Ministry of Interior Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD). Similar initiatives will be launched and managed at local level in other countries where Haier Europe operates.
“We are deeply saddened by the social and environmental disaster that has struck Turkey and Syria, a humanitarian tragedy that requires mobilization and support to the critical work on the ground undertaken by many organizations” – says Yannick Fierling, CEO at Haier Europe. “As a company operating in Turkey, despite not being directly damaged by the earthquakes, we feel personally affected by this tragedy, but also compelled to offer our help for the local communities in need. Haier Europe is a people-oriented company, and being close to the communities where we operate is part of our Zero Distance philosophy. We hope our contributions can support activating the restoration processes as soon as possible”.
Haier Europe has a strong presence in Turkey, with a Green Field Production Campus covering a 190,000 sqm area in Eskişehir, in Northwestern Turkey. The company has recently inaugurated new factories in its production facilities in the region, also announcing further investments in the upcoming years.
