Actions of a Social Nature

For the fifth year in a row, the DIA Group sponsored the “Carrera por la Esperanza” (Race of Hope) organised by FEDER with the aim of making society aware of the need for research on less prevalent diseases and for fund-raising. In 2016, a race was held in Madrid in which more than 3,500 people participated, of which more than 600 were company employees. An awareness-raising action was also held in Barcelona, with different sports activities.

In line with the collaboration agreement that the DIA Group maintains with FEDER, in 2016 the initiative “Muévete por los que no pueden” (Move for those who cannot) was launched to give visibility to low-prevalence diseases, bringing together sports and solidarity. A pair of runners, both with severe eye diseases, travelled to 300 cities throughout Spain to raise awareness of the needs of families with these problems. The DIA Group provided food during the entire route.

Again this year, the DIA Group, together with its Clarel banner, joined as a collaborator in the Women’s race in Madrid, Zaragoza, and Barcelona in benefit of the Spanish Cancer Association (AECC). Each of the participants received a EUR10 purchase voucher, and for each voucher exchanged, the company gave the AECC EUR1 to support its various research projects.

For the sixth year running, the Christmas Solidarity Market was held at the Spanish Headquarters. The event was attended by organisations and associations such as Menudos Corazones, Cáritas, and the Crecer Jugando Foundation. Headquarters staff showed their solidarity by making their Christmas purchases at this market, which proved to be a great success, exceeding the purchases of the previous year.

The DIA Group participated again this year in the solidarity march in favour of people with intellectual disabilities and their families that is held yearly in the city of Valladolid. This year, the company prepared a giant omelette for 5,000 people, prepared by chefs from the “Demos la Vuelta al DIA” (Turn the day around) project.

The company launched an event with over 500 children from Valladolid, in which a giant expanded polystyrene sculpture was built to place value on the sustainability of recycling.

This event forms part of the European project Colreceps, financed by the European Commission within the LIFE programme and coordinated by the DIA Group, Fundación Cartif, Turqueplast and Quercus IDI.

The DIA Group joined the Smiles Project, an initiative from Orbit, to which it donated EUR100,000 for the oral healthcare of children of SOS Children's Villages with these needs.

This action, backed by the Spanish Dental Foundation and the Official Association of Dentists, was aimed at improving the lives and eliciting a smile from each of these youngsters. Employees of the DIA Group also participated directly by delivering oral hygiene products to various offices and headquarters throughout Spain.

The DIA Group and Oxfam signed a collaboration agreement, whereby it includes different types of coffee, chocolate, tea and sugar on the online sales platforms in Spain protected by the international FAIR TRADE label and produced according to criteria of social and environmental respect set by free trade. In addition, a pilot project has begun in some stores in Madrid in which fair trade coffee machines have been set up.

The DIA Group and the Theodora Foundation organised the second edition of the drawing contest “Que tengas un buen día” (Have a Good Day), in which more than 3,000 children and teenagers between the ages of 3 and 17 from all over Spain participated in four different age categories.

For each work received, the DIA Group pledged to pay for a visit to one of the Smile Doctors and enable the magic and humour of these artists to fill the rooms of hospitals with hope and enthusiasm.

More than 2,000 children that live in a situation of poverty and social exclusion benefited from the toy collection campaign known as “Reyes Majos” (‘The Kind Kings’), which the company organises among its employees throughout Spain. Toys were collected at the Las Rozas headquarters and at the various regional centres of Santiago de Compostela, Antequera, El puerto de Santamaría, Mejorada, Getafe, Arroyomolinos, Jaén, Mallen, Manises, San Antonio, Mérida, Sabadell, and Villanubla.

The DIA Group signed a collaboration agreement with the Red Cross whereby it distributes healthy and varied food on a regular basis to children participating in the School Success project of the Red Cross in Galicia. In all, the DIA Group provided 48,700 afternoon snacks to boys and girls during the school year.

The employees of the DIA Group delivered EUR13,700 to the Pequeños Corazones Foundation (Little Hearts Foundation) to collaborate with the solidarity work of this entity, dedicated to helping children with heart disease and their families. These funds will serve to pay for the temporary lodgings of 174 families of children with congenital heart diseases from all over Spain receiving hospital treatments, as well as to cover the costs of the annual psychological treatment of 450 parents of children affected by this disease.

Again this year, DIA Argentina helped the most disadvantaged to have everything they need to go to school. Company employees made donations in February, buying jackets and, as in previous years, the company donated the same number of backpacks full of school supplies.

In Argentina, two plans providing support and help to pregnant employees were carried out. Paediatric nurses were made available to these employees and several talks were organised concerning the most important points of this stage. Parents were given a book on birth and products of the DIA brand.

Once again, the employees of DIA Argentina launched a solidarity campaign to collect funds and toys coinciding with Children’s Day. The money collected was used to buy toys and the company donated the same amount collected in food.

An event was organised in the Gran Rex theatre, the largest in Buenos Aires, to celebrate reaching three million holders of the Club DIA loyalty discount card.

Those attending received their entry ticket by donating a toy or a children’s book, intended for Fundaciones Sí and Manos en Acción. In addition, EUR2,000 were raised and given to these organisations.

The DIA Argentina running team joined the solidarity race organised by UNICEF in favour of education, which took place in the forests of Palermo. More than 10,000 people ran with a twofold objective: to reach the finish line and to help thousands of teenagers from all over Argentina finish their secondary education. With a spirit of solidarity, both old and young participated in the two circuits of the eighth event.

In mid-October, all the headquarters of the company in Argentina carried out awareness-raising actions regarding the fight against breast cancer to educate both men and women about this disease.

Office buildings and employees were adorned with pink ribbons to symbolise the commitment to the support and fight against this disease of the entire staff and brochures were handed out with essential prevention information. Emails were also sent to all employees with relevant information

DIA Argentina launched a footwear collection campaign to help families affected by the major earthquake that hit Ecuador and from which it is still attempting to recover. Several collection boxes were set up in different work centres, where employees could leave both children’s and adult shoes.

As in previous years, DIA Argentina organised a Christmas campaign among its employees to deliver toys to many children and make their Christmas Eve more festive. This time, the donation was addressed to the “Nuestra Señora de Lourdes de Chaco” childcare centre.

DIA Brazil collected over 1,400 items of clothing to donate to the most disadvantaged families during the cold winter season.

The campaign involved the participation of all the regional centres of the country. The clothing was delivered to the Núcleo Assitencial Anjos da Noite association.

DIA Brazil has become the first distribution company to sponsor the race in support of children with cancer and their families, organised by the GRAACC association in Sao Paulo.

The 16th event brought together more than 7,500 people in the vicinity of Parque do Ibirapuera. More than 240 DIA employees and their families also participated, wearing exclusive shirts for the event.

The creation of a corporate volunteer group among employees was formalised in August 2016. At the close of the financial year, more than 20 people had already joined, who will decide on the social actions in which to participate in the coming years.

DIA Portugal, through its Minipreço banner, launched an initiative in the streets of Oporto to encourage the adoption of needy animals, mainly dogs, in collaboration with various animal help associations. With the name of “Walking Buddies”, anyone who asked could walk one of the dogs there, under the supervision of a trainer.

The initiative also wanted to place emphasis on the importance of adopting rather than buying animals, since the shelters in the country are increasingly in need of people and families who want to have an animal and give it a new life.

DIA Portugal collaborated once again this year with the Life and Peace Community through the delivery of food for the Christmas party that the organisation that assists homeless people organises each year. During three days and in addition to the Christmas dinner, these people are offered access to a number of support services, such as clothing, hygiene, food, and legal assistance, with the collaboration of over 1,000 volunteers from the Portuguese Army.

DIA Portugal supported mothers and children in the Madre Ayuda Association, which offers support to women and their children in situations of social exclusion. During 2016, hygiene and food kits for babies of this institution were delivered, along with a delivery of basic products for the elaboration of sweets and cookies that the women themselves prepare and subsequently sell. This association offers support to more than 1,000 mothers in Portugal, mostly single, and their children.

In Portugal, DIA collaborated for another year in the “Futebol na Rúa” (Football in the streets) initiative, an event organised by the CAIS association to fight poverty and support the social integration of youth through sports. DIA Portugal gave out 1,500 food and hygiene kits to 250 children and championship training shirts.

DIA Portugal contributed a donation of nearly 100 children’s books for children between the ages of 6 and 14 to the Barreir Montijo Hospital. It also organised a lunch and the delivery of gifts for 50 children at risk of exclusion of the A.I.U Foundation.

For the first time, DIA Portugal attended the meeting with a special area for the launch of gluten-free products of own DIA brands and Delicious. This included an encounter with a large number of associates and their families who had the opportunity to learn about and enjoy the product offer.