T&S Corporate Sponsorship Program supports Eindhovense Watervrienden

As part of the Technology & Strategy group (T&S), TOPIC employees recently got the opportunity to participate in the T&S corporate sponsorship program. This initiative focuses on supporting projects with social or environmental objectives. Employees from the T&S group or any of its entities could submit a non-profit project for material or financial aid.

TOPIC’er Jeroen van der Meulen, an active volunteer of swimming club “de Eindhovense Watervrienden”, was among the fortunate four whose project was selected to receive funding of 1,000 euros. We spoke with Jeroen to delve into his involvement with the Eindhovense Watervrienden, the reasons behind his project submission, and how the funding supports their crucial work in promoting inclusivity, regardless of age, skill level, or circumstance.

Can you tell us more about your personal role and involvement with the club?
I have been a member of Eindhovense Watervrienden, a fully volunteer-run organization, since 1975. I started volunteering myself in 1993, initially as a swimming instructor. Over my 30 years of volunteering, I have served as member of the board and spent 10 years as chairman, all while continuing my role as a swimming instructor. As a swimming club, our primary goal is to provide swimming activities for everyone. That's why we also initiated two additional programs: swimming for refugees and swimming for people with disabilities. It personally motivates me to enable an opportunity for everyone to exercise, and to not think in obstructions, but in possibilities.

What inspired you to submit this project for the Eindhovense watervrienden?
The special swimming hour for swimmers with disabilities has been a highly successful initiative, bringing joy to many swimmers with diverse needs. Due to its success, de Eindhovense Watervrienden will be expanding this program with an additional hour at a new location. This will allow us to serve more swimmers across a wider geographic area. However, this expansion requires a significant investment in safety equipment and volunteer training. As a non-profit organization that offers the lowest membership fee in the region, the opportunity presented by the T&S Corporate Social Responsibility Program motivated us to apply for support.

How did you feel when you found out your project was selected?
As Eindhovense Watervrienden, we are thrilled with the sponsorship from T&S for our project. This is a significant first step toward the necessary investments to expand our activities. As an employee of TOPIC Embedded Systems, I am incredibly proud that T&S supports activities for people with disabilities, demonstrating their commitment to being a socially responsible employer.

CSR values T&S and TOPIC

Last week HR Manager Dina Blom proudly presented the cheque of 1.000,- euro’s on behalf of T&S to Jeroen at the Eindhovense watervrienden Swim club.

Dina | HR Manager TOPIC: “T&S and TOPIC share the same CSR values. It's wonderful to see their corporate sponsorship program supporting projects led by employees involved in non-profit work. When they first approached us with the idea for the program and the opportunity for our employees to participate, we were thrilled to share it within our company. We know we have a group of colleagues, like Jeroen, who are actively volunteering in various non-profit organizations, and it's fantastic to support them beyond their work roles."

Rivka | CSR Manager T&S: “At T&S, we are committed to making a difference and are proud to support non-profit organizations that align with our CSR values. We give our employees the opportunity to present the organizations in which they are involved, and the causes they are passionate about! Every year, we provide financial support to various organizations across Europe, extending our positive impact beyond the workplace.”

Discover more!

Learn more about the T&S sponsorship program and the three other amazing projects that have been selected this year for support in the article here: https://www.technologyandstrat...

Discover more about the Eindhovense Watervrienden here:  https://eindhovense-watervrien...