We desire businesses to be socially responsible in many areas. We strive to initiate and participate in multiple initiatives related to education, ecology, and charity. Our business strategy is all about delivering ideal office space to our clients, always involving the needs of the community.
THERE IS NO TIME TO WASTE, TREES ARE ‘TO BE PLANTED’
A few years ago we initiated the ‘Do nasadzenia’ campaign, which aimed at planting trees in the Lipusz forest district (Pomerania), hit hard by a hurricane wind back in 2017. Over two October Saturdays of 2019, nearly fifteen hundred people, employees of various Tricity companies and institutions, supported by foresters, restored eleven hectares of the forest. We planted close to one hundred ten thousand birches, larches, pines, and other tree species. On October 16, 2020, nearly eight hundred fifty people took part in the successive edition, representing companies from outside of Tricity as well. We collectively planted ninety thousand young trees, adding another eighty thousand on April 23, 2022. In total, across all editions, around three thousand one hundred fifty people took active part in planting, representing more than fifty different companies. We have collectively planted two hundred eighty thousand saplings, foresting a post-hurricane terrain of nearly thirty hectares in size. A dense, soaring forest will arise there in dozens of years.
The involvement of the business environment in the forest restoration is highly valuable, displaying in multiple dimensions. The first one, as in this very case, is obvious – planting new trees, caring for the uncontaminated air, and compensation of carbon footprint. On top of that, our campaign – the fact which is underlined by foresters – for many ‘city-originating’ people also provides a wonderful opportunity to further explore the forest, and learn its functioning rules. Additionally, there is a chance to take a closer look at the foresters’ work, to integrate, and educate the young generations on how a forest emerges. This history is not drawing to a close, as it will have its continuation. Numerous companies got interested in this initiative, and we will try to move this activity, in a somewhat different format, onto the city ground.
LEED
Every stage of the Alchemia business centre has been certified under LEED, the U.S.-based certification scheme for rating efficient building performance. The path to certification is very complex, placing a series of requirements and limitations upon the property developer as early as the design stage, with the aim to reduce the building’s harmful influence on the environment.
LEED allows for the construction of the building with considerably increased water and energy efficiency, which means lower operating costs for the office tenants. A LEED investment project also has a more comfortable working environment for the building users (employees) and the community (local residents). How does this work?
BEES ON ARGON ROOFTOP
Approx. 10% of Polish bees disappear every year and in some parts of the world this number can reach as much as 40%. Bees are essential to the wellbeing of our planet, as they pollinate one-third of the crops. According to some scientists, the absence of bees would result in food shortages and, by consequence, could threaten the existence of humankind.
This is why we created a special working space for some very busy workers. We must admit that it was the bees who had found us and not the other way around. “ARGON’s location is very attractive and meets all the necessary requirements” – our apiary supplier, said.
These special apiaries exist all over the world, for instance on the roof of the Paris Opera House and at the Notre Dame cathedral. In Poland, bee preservation awareness is in its infant stages, which makes us proud of the fact we are part of the global action designed to help these endangered insects. We had also conducted some research and it turns out that honey made in the city is not more polluted, nor of lesser quality, than country produce. Sweet as honey (in more than one way)!
OPERATION RH
Blood cannot be made in the lab! Blood donation remains an important act of charity one can do for their local community, which is why we have been facilitating a mobile blood drive for our Alchemia tenants and members of the community for quite some time.
The event runs a few times during the year and we announce every single one a few days/weeks in advance. The RCKiK “blood mobile” stops near the ARGON building, next to the Przymorze-Uniwersytet SKM station.
„HOSPICJUM POMORZE DZIECIOM” children’s foundation
In 2017, we searched among Alchemia employees for 12,500 Angels to each give 8zł a month! We had already drawn Giants (large and well-known international corporations) into Tricity, so it was time to see if any of these Giants were Angels at heart.
Why 12,500? Because 12,500 x 8 equals 100,000zł, which is what the Hospice needs to operate for a month. The Hospice provides professional, round-the-clock palliative care for children, every day. 8zł is approximately the cost of one hour of care – for most of us, 8zł is the cost of a single coffee. For a terminally ill child, this 8zł is one hour spent with their loved ones, at home, with the proper care.
Become an Angel! http://bit.ly/12500Aniolow
EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS FOR CHILDREN
Torus supports educational programs aimed at kids. One of these is English Summer/Winter Camp, designed to teach English to children living in poverty and under challenging living conditions. Torus employees assist by sharing their expert knowledge with the kids.
Additionally, we have hosted workshops for high school students, where we showed our construction site to young people interested working in construction or as architects. Torus employees have also taken part in CaseWeek, a series of engineering workshops for students and businesses. Torus runs its own workshops as well – a healthy eating class for children and a drawing contest for the children of Torus employees.
ODYSSEY OF THE MIND
For a number of years we have been supporting talented youth groups taking part in the world finals of creative thinking contest Odyssey of the Mind. The competition serves to teach young people about the importance of dreaming – meticulously and courageously, individually and outside the box, and to come up with original and effective solutions to complex problems. We choose to support these young explorers because we believe our modern times call for innovators – not imitators, creators – and copycats, and trend-setters – not followers.
