Corporate Social Responsibility, or CSR, is an important part of how we do business at JTI.
We believe that businesses can only prosper in strong, fair and equal societies. That’s why we invest in the communities where we do business. Our community investment is outside our normal business operations and aims to improve the quality of life of people in Austria. Quality of life means freedom, security and social integration as well as physical and mental well-being. We participate in a wide range of projects, both social and cultural.
We work in partnership with charitable organizations to help us achieve this, and we encourage our social and cultural partners to collaborate on programs to provide less privileged people with easier access to art, for example, or programs to promote social inclusion.
Our community investment programs are focused on areas including:
- Combatting poverty
- Older people
- Adult education
- People with disabilities
- Cultural heritage
- Visual and performing arts
- Environment
- Japanese culture
In Austria we are currently working with VinziWerke groups, which offer a wide range of support for needy, homeless people. One of the ways we support the VinziWerke is by helping them to buy urgently-needed items such as non-perishable foodstuffs, hygiene products and kitchen equipment for two of their night shelters (VinziBett, VinziPort) and the social market (VinziMarkt).
In another project, we are working with the Austrian Alpine Club in Grosskirchheim-Heiligenblut to help make the hiking trails around Sadnighaus in the Astental valley in Carinthia more accessible to wheelchair users. Once the bridge has been completed, people with disabilities or impaired mobility will be able to access this unique nature experience.