There is no doubt that Christmas is a time of giving and sharing with those around us, but it shouldn’t be limited to only those we love. It is also for those we may never know, see, or meet; those that are not so fortunate in their lives and that could use a helping hand.
This Christmas, we teamed up with the Foodback Lifeline Foundation and animal NGOs in Malta and with Skanes Stadsmission in Sweden to organize a reverse advent calendar initiative, where we set up collection boxes in our offices for our heroes to place items for donation. In Malta we collected food, and in Sweden we collected clothing. The Hero Gaming Foundation then topped up the items in the boxes to offer more support to those in need.
But Christmas is not the only time we think of those in need. Two years ago, we launched our Hero Gaming Foundation, a programme that is at the heart of our business strategy and that aims to give back to our communities in Malta, Sweden, and all around the world. Despite still facing the challenges posed by the pandemic, we still wanted to go above and beyond what’s expected socially or environmentally by contributing to the causes we love: the environment, people, and animals. In 2021, we supported several NGOs through our Hero Gaming Foundation which is backed up by our heroes and the company.
Throughout the year, we donated to local sanctuaries in Malta which have been badly affected by the pandemic. Unfortunately, the summer heatwave in Malta, was not only hard on us, but also on the animals and their sanctuaries. Through our foundation, we donated to four NGOs in Malta who truly needed all the help possible: RMJ’s Horse Rescue, Rescued is my Favorite Breed, CLAWS, and Noah’s Ark Dog Sanctuary.
We also supported a cause which is very close to our hearts, the environment. We aspire to improve our environment, actively support sustainability, and improve the overall well-being for current and future generations. To commemorate our 7 years in Malta and to celebrate 2021 World Earth Day, we partnered with QLZH Foundation to plant 700 indigenous trees, a symbolic number for us, representing 100 trees for every year the company has been operating in Malta.
Our third, and very important area of focus is people. Over the years, we have been supporting three Swedish NGOs who mainly focus on supporting our children and future generations; Giving People, Swedish Association for Drug-Free Society, and The Active School Foundation. Moreover, together with SIGMA Foundation, we have been supporting the ongoing yearly maintenance of a school in Ethiopia. It is so heart-warming knowing that with a relatively small contribution, we have been able to make many children happy, give them the foundation they need for a better education and give them hope for a better future!
In 2021, we have also teamed up with two associations focusing on bettering the lives of those who suffer from chronic illnesses. As part of one of our wellness initiatives, we supported the international Cystic Fibrosis Foundation by joining the CF fundraising event which was organised to raise awareness for a not so well researched, but quite common illness called Cystsic Fibrsosis. The more steps our heroes made, the more our Hero Gaming Foundation donated for this good cause. Furthermore, we also supported one of the most important charity and social campaigns happening on the island in 2021; ALS Malta’s incredible drive to build a second home for people suffering from neurodegenerative diseases called Dar Bjorn.
This November, we organised our very own version of Black Friday sale at the office. Some of our IT equipment was sold to our heroes and all proceeds went to charity, and the remaining IT equipment was donated to Dar Alberto Marvelli, a residence that offers support and guidance to those youths who don’t have a home.
On a different note, as we continue working on becoming better at Equality, Diversity and Inclusion throughout the year, we supported All-in Diversity Project and the #opendoors campaign, to raise awareness around diversity and inclusion and also to inspire other businesses within our industry to jump on the bandwagon. Bias compromises diversity and inclusion in many organisations and industries, limiting the opportunity to bring in different views and learn new things. We believe that raising awareness to open doors to people without bias, can bring positive change in the talent we attract, the ideas we share, the broader extent to which we can learn and the pace at which our industry develops. Additionally we also ran a company-wide Diversity, Equality & Inclusion Audit in order to gather data to help us make DEI a successful part of our business strategy.
We’re proud of our journey so far but we also know that we still have a long way ahead of us. Our aim is to continue making a difference. We are determined to give back to our communities globally, by contributing to the causes we love and believe in. We encourage all of you to give back this Christmas… or any time of the year really. It’s a privilege to have the power to improve someone’s life and in truth, knowing that you’re helping others is hugely empowering and can make you feel happier and more fulfilled.
