Large aid organisations, small associations and individual private initiatives - together they form what is known as civil society. And they make a significant contribution to social cohesion and a functioning social network in Austria. As indispensable as these organisations are, however, their financial and human resources are usually in short supply.
This is precisely where Casinos Austria came into play in 2023 and launched the ‘Our Commitment to Austria’ initiative. It involves supporting three humanitarian organisations per casino, resulting in a total of 36 new partnerships across Austria last year. What makes this programme so special is the holistic understanding of support. From the outset, the aim was to provide local assistance in the respective regions of the twelve casinos over a period of at least one year.
Another crucial point is that Casinos Austria's employees are committed to this support out of inner conviction. They carry out corporate volunteering assignments for the partner organisations and thus strengthen the staffing levels of the clubs, which also rely to a large extent on volunteers. In the first six months, the employees of the 12 casinos have already worked more than 500 hours for a good cause in this way.
In addition to the volunteering assignments, the agreements with the partner organisations include generous sponsorship amounts and the opportunity to organise a Casino on Tour to raise donations. By the end of 2024, ‘Unser Einsatz für Österreich’ will have realised a total of more than 180 support services for 44 partners. This will benefit care facilities for people with disabilities, cancer aid organisations, associations that advise homeless and long-term unemployed people and many more.
Casinos Austria CEO Erwin van Lambaart's summary six months after the launch of the initiative is correspondingly positive: ‘We have been committed to socially relevant initiatives in Austria since our company was founded more than 55 years ago. With ‘Our Commitment to Austria’, however, we are significantly strengthening this commitment. At all twelve of our casino locations, we are a reliable and strong partner for local associations and organisations that do great work for people in need with few resources. We look forward to working with our partners to provide important humanitarian impetus in the regions.’