Press Releases

Budapest, March 3, 2004 13:45

Matáv has integrated its corporate contribution and sponsorship programs. The aim of the exemplary initiative running under the name of "Matáv Adds" from March 2004 is for Matáv to channel its annual contribution of 200 million HUF to the civil sphere to those most in need of such support. The "Matáv Adds" program embraces four areas: the "Really important donations", the "Charitable numbers", the "Really important conversations" and the "Matáv employee adds".

"Corporate contributions and sponsorship have, for years, been an integral part of Matáv's corporate culture, the philosophy of the Matáv brand," Elek Straub, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Matáv, added to the announcement. "We have recognized the fact that, taking a substantial part in the development of the entire society is crucial both for our business success and our general social acceptance. In ten years Matáv has become one of the most significant corporate sponsors of the civil sphere, last year it donated some 200 million HUF to the civil sphere. Over the past three years Matáv has contributed to the survival and growth of over 400 non-profit organizations. The aim of the new "Matáv Adds" program is to structure the donations and channel them to the appropriate places, thus providing direct assistance to the people in the greatest need of it and to aid, primarily, health purposes, disadvantaged people and children through various foundations and civil initiatives."

"Decision on the distribution of the available money will be taken by the board of trustees of the "Matáv Adds" program, which will meet five times a year. Its responsibilities include the selection of the beneficiary organizations, determining the size of the donations and organizing additional telephone and other donation programs."

"By launching the "Matáv Adds" program, Matáv intends to set an example for Hungarian companies in several respects. This initiative makes us top of the league not only in respect of the size of the donations, but we are also showing the direction on how versatile corporate donation and sponsorship activities can be so harmonized that we still remain open and sensitive to social needs, challenges and individual requests," said Elek Straub.

Four areas of the "Matáv Adds" program:

1. "The really important donations":

- Larger cash donations and support for the purchase of life-saving medical instruments and equipment are made from an annual budget of 110 million HUF.

2. "The charitable numbers":

- By way of a initiative unique also by European standards, one of the "charitable numbers" of the "Matáv Adds" program is the Matáv Donation Line that can be reached by dialing 1788. Last year we collected over 50 million HUF by this means, and channeled the amount to the selected foundations. The strategic cooperation agreement between Matáv and TV2 signed today makes it possible to attract even more people to donate 100 HUF to a non-profit organization with each call.

- The 1771 Matáv Charity Number and the 1749 Flood Help Line have, since their inception, collected over 40 million HUF to help the needy.

3. "The really important conversations":

- The recently announced Civil Tariff Package is a unique opportunity for the civil sphere. Under this initiative Matáv grants, on average, 30% discount from the domestic fixed-line telecom service bills of the public benefit foundations and associations. In Matáv's estimate, this means total savings in the order of ten million forints annually for the one hundred organizations affected. The non-profit organizations can spend the money so saved on purposes which truly serve the benefit of the needy. The first one hundred beneficiaries include the Hungarian Red Cross, the Hungarian Anti-Cancer League and the Hungarian Association of the Blind and Sight-impaired.

- In 2004, just as in the previous years, Matáv deducts the usage fee from the telephone bills of the helpline services.

4. "The Matáv employee adds…"

- "The Matáv employee adds" program is meant to give Matáv's own employees an opportunity to donate for charitable purposes. The KEA (Hungarian for Supplemented Individual Donations) program has been running since 2000 at Matáv. (The underlying idea is that the company supplements with specific amounts the individual donations of its socially sensitive employees.) Over the last three years non-profit organizations received almost 15 million HUF in donations, courtesy of Matáv employees. The individual donations of the employees in the last three years are estimated to amount to some 6 million HUF.