08.04.2020
Erste Group donates one million Euros to support the Austrian Red Cross
The Erste Group is supporting the work of the Red Cross by donating one million Euros – particularly to help set up sick bays and increase coronavirus testing. The donation will also help finance urgently required online courses for family members, assistants and those performing community service. ‘We’re in a health crisis that has now become an economic crisis. Only once the health challenges are overcome can society and people return to a certain degree of normality as quickly as possible’, says Bernd Spalt, CEO of the Erste Group. ‘We are grateful for this financial boost, which has really helped us. During this crisis, we need good co-operation between strong partners to enable life in Austria to get back up and running again soon’, says Red Cross Federal Commander in Charge, Gerry Foitik. ‘In addition to increasing our commitment to our customers, we are also responsible for taking measures to help achieve a comprehensive, holistic solution’, adds Peter Bosek, CEO of the Erste Bank. ‘We are grateful to all the helpers from the Austrian Red Cross, and want to support their work.’
The Erste Group is supporting the work of the Red Cross by donating one million Euros – particularly to help set up sick bays and increase coronavirus testing. The donation will also help finance urgently required online courses for family members, assistants and those performing community service. ‘We’re in a health crisis that has now become an economic crisis. Only once the health challenges are overcome can society and people return to a certain degree of normality as quickly as possible’, says Bernd Spalt, CEO of the Erste Group. ‘We are grateful for this financial boost, which has really helped us. During this crisis, we need good co-operation between strong partners to enable life in Austria to get back up and running again soon’, says Red Cross Federal Commander in Charge, Gerry Foitik. ‘In addition to increasing our commitment to our customers, we are also responsible for taking measures to help achieve a comprehensive, holistic solution’, adds Peter Bosek, CEO of the Erste Bank. ‘We are grateful to all the helpers from the Austrian Red Cross, and want to support their work.’
Austrian Red Cross takes stock of the past month
The aid organisation has been in action combatting the coronavirus crisis for the last month, helping the ill, the socially disadvantaged, and everyone in Austria. The Erste Group has also been helping out.
While the coronavirus crisis continues to have the country holding its breath, there’s one protective symbol that’s currently omnipresent: The Austrian Red Cross. ‘We’re an experienced humanitarian organisation with a strong network across the entire country, which is why we enjoy doing our best every day to get through this crisis as quickly as possible’, says Austrian Red Cross president, Gerald Schöpfer, whose workforce covers more than 8,000 full-time workers, 72,000 volunteers, and currently also around 5,000 people performing community service. ‘Our first assessment of this large-scale operation is a good one, and I would like to thank everyone, regardless of the capacity in which they have been helping us. We’re on the right track, but the finish line is still not in sight.’
The large-scale operation in numbers
Since the large-scale operation began one month ago, the Austrian Red Cross has taken more than 65,000 test swabs with its mobile teams and drive-in stations, transported 7,300 infected patients, and answered more than 110,000 calls via its health hotline 1450 – which is run by the Austrian Red Cross in the provinces of Vorarlberg, Salzburg, Styria and Upper Austria. In all Austrian provinces, Austrian Red Cross teams have also helped set up sick bays and quarantine areas for more than 7,000 people. Around 1,800 workers are on the coronavirus frontline every day. Rescues of course continue to run as normal, and the blood banks are maintaining full supplies of blood, while adhering to increased safety regulations. The Austrian Red Cross is also supporting the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) with two envoys in Nairobi – Georg Ecker and Florian Haas – to get rapid coronavirus aid for Africa off the ground.
‘Even for us, it is of course a challenge to pull off this extensive operation’, says Schöpfer. ‘Many of our skilled workers are pushing themselves to their limits. But part of who we are is to provide nonpartisan help when needed, including under difficult circumstances. That’s what humanitarian aid organisations do. I would also like to thank partners from the finance industry who are bolstering us here.’
The current situation has thus given the Erste Group a responsibility for society as a whole, and it will be taking measures extending beyond just its increased commitment to customers. Only once the health challenges have been overcome can the economy, customers, and even the bank and its staff return to a certain degree of normality as quickly as possible. The work of the Austrian Red Cross is playing a major role in tackling these challenges.
Based on this, the Erste Group is donating a million Euros to support the work of the Austrian Red Cross. Along with the Red Cross volunteers, this will act as another important contribution towards resolving the current crisis. The following activities of the Austrian Red Cross will be supported by the Erste Group’s donation:
- Setting up and running emergency sick bays to take the strain off hospitals and ensure the best possible care for the ill.
- Coronavirus testing by mobile Red Cross teams, ‘drive-in’ testing and assistance with testing logistics.
- Online courses: Nursing courses for family members, training courses for assistants at emergency sick bays, training courses for those performing community service; these are equally important measures, as traditional training is not currently possible.
Austrian Red Cross takes stock of the past month
The aid organisation has been in action combatting the coronavirus crisis for the last month, helping the ill, the socially disadvantaged, and everyone in Austria. The Erste Group has also been helping out.
While the coronavirus crisis continues to have the country holding its breath, there’s one protective symbol that’s currently omnipresent: The Austrian Red Cross. ‘We’re an experienced humanitarian organisation with a strong network across the entire country, which is why we enjoy doing our best every day to get through this crisis as quickly as possible’, says Austrian Red Cross president, Gerald Schöpfer, whose workforce covers more than 8,000 full-time workers, 72,000 volunteers, and currently also around 5,000 people performing community service. ‘Our first assessment of this large-scale operation is a good one, and I would like to thank everyone, regardless of the capacity in which they have been helping us. We’re on the right track, but the finish line is still not in sight.’
The large-scale operation in numbers
Since the large-scale operation began one month ago, the Austrian Red Cross has taken more than 65,000 test swabs with its mobile teams and drive-in stations, transported 7,300 infected patients, and answered more than 110,000 calls via its health hotline 1450 – which is run by the Austrian Red Cross in the provinces of Vorarlberg, Salzburg, Styria and Upper Austria. In all Austrian provinces, Austrian Red Cross teams have also helped set up sick bays and quarantine areas for more than 7,000 people. Around 1,800 workers are on the coronavirus frontline every day. Rescues of course continue to run as normal, and the blood banks are maintaining full supplies of blood, while adhering to increased safety regulations. The Austrian Red Cross is also supporting the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) with two envoys in Nairobi – Georg Ecker and Florian Haas – to get rapid coronavirus aid for Africa off the ground.
‘Even for us, it is of course a challenge to pull off this extensive operation’, says Schöpfer. ‘Many of our skilled workers are pushing themselves to their limits. But part of who we are is to provide nonpartisan help when needed, including under difficult circumstances. That’s what humanitarian aid organisations do. I would also like to thank partners from the finance industry who are bolstering us here.’
The current situation has thus given the Erste Group a responsibility for society as a whole, and it will be taking measures extending beyond just its increased commitment to customers. Only once the health challenges have been overcome can the economy, customers, and even the bank and its staff return to a certain degree of normality as quickly as possible. The work of the Austrian Red Cross is playing a major role in tackling these challenges.
Based on this, the Erste Group is donating a million Euros to support the work of the Austrian Red Cross. Along with the Red Cross volunteers, this will act as another important contribution towards resolving the current crisis. The following activities of the Austrian Red Cross will be supported by the Erste Group’s donation:
- Setting up and running emergency sick bays to take the strain off hospitals and ensure the best possible care for the ill.
- Coronavirus testing by mobile Red Cross teams, ‘drive-in’ testing and assistance with testing logistics.
- Online courses: Nursing courses for family members, training courses for assistants at emergency sick bays, training courses for those performing community service; these are equally important measures, as traditional training is not currently possible.