International Youth Day

Giving youth a chance through donations

Today is International Youth Day, a day designated by the United Nations to celebrate young people as an essential population contributing to change and to raise awareness of their global challenges. We, at Umicore, are also committed to contribute to transforming education in support of youth and we do this through our various donation initiatives.   

From an international scope, we are partnering with UNICEF to support education projects in India & Madagascar. At local level we are supporting a strong social fabric in the community mainly focusing on educational aspects. Here are a few examples of local initiatives around the globe.  

Hanau, Germany 

Every year in December, the Umicore employees in Hanau organize their own Christmas market to collect money to donate to a local association helping children and families in the neighborhood. Furthermore, the Business Units in Hanau donate to three additional charities located in Hanau, which focus on supporting children and families in challenging situations. In 2019 a total of €25,000 was handed over to the different charities.

Olen, Belgium

Through ’Relay for Life’, a 24h sponsored team raises funds for the fight against cancer. Umicore Olen engages its employees to take part in sport activities, volunteer for work and collect donations.  

Shanghai, China

Each year, the regional headquarters, Umicore Marketing Services China and Umicore Automotive Catalysts China provide financial support of around €7,500 to the Kashin-Beck Disease (KBD) Fund which is now active in the Sichuan province in Southwest China. KBD is a disabling disease of the bones and joints that lead to stunted growth and deformity of the joints. The goal is to improve the healthcare and food habits of people suffering from KBD, especially children living in poor area’s.

Raleigh, USA 

With a donation of $2,000, Umicore Raleigh is assisting homeless children attending the Rand Road Elementary School. The donation is used to provide warm clothing and food for the families in need.

Cheonan, South-Korea

In Cheonan, we provide €7,500 of financial support to ChildFund Korea. This charity is actively working to make the world a happier place for children in need of financial, physical, and emotional support. 

With our combined efforts around the globe and with  our ambitions to give back to society,  we seek to contribute to the well-being and education of youth.