“Prof. Dr. Decho Denev” Specialized School for Children with Hearing Impairments in Sofia was fully renovated with the help of over 800 TELUS International Europe employees and representatives of the deaf community in Bulgaria. This school year, more than 500 students crossed the threshold of the completely renovated school thanks to the TELUS Day of Support initiative, which TELUS International holds every year. The slogan of the initiative is “Giving Where We Live.” It has been made possible thanks to the voluntary work of thousands of employees around the world as well as a special investment from the company. The budget for the two events in Sofia and Plovdiv is over 70,000 Euro.

The company says, “The language of goodwill is one of the more than 35 languages we speak.” They tell us that they find important social causes to support through the voluntary work of employees in both cities every year and add that they have completely renovated three schools for children with disabilities and a family complex for social services – the Louie Braille High School in Sofia, the Complex for Social Services for Children and Families in Plovdiv, the Secondary School for Children with Hearing Impairments “Prof. Dr. Stoyan Belinov” in Plovdiv, and the Secondary Special School for Children with Impaired Hearing.

TELUS has invested more than 200,000 Euro in the course of Days of Support initiative in Bulgaria since its inception in 2013. Over 2,800 volunteers have invested more than 23,000 hours of work to improve the lives of over 1,000 children.

Globally, TELUS has donated $ 396 million to charities and its employees have invested more than 6 million hours of voluntary work through its public boards and volunteer programs around the world.

Volunteering is a major part of the company’s social responsibility policy, which targets three areas – ecology, education and health care. The public board of TELUS International, which allocates $100,000 to non-governmental organizations in Bulgaria each year, also focuses on these areas.

Through its board, the company supports dozens of foundations and NGOs each year by funding the most significant and useful social projects.

The TELUS International Board brings together outstanding public and business leaders in Bulgaria and selected members of the TELUS International Europe team, who decide which charity initiatives will  have the greatest impact on local communities. Created in 2015, the TELUS International Board has an annual fund of $100,000. In 2015 and 2016 the Board awarded 37 local non-profit organizations out of 220 applications.

A few months ago, the global outsourcer embraced a cause related to the return of Bulgarian expats. This year the company will launch its program, “I’d Rather Be Here,” which offers jobs to Bulgarians who want to return to their homeland. The program provides a one-time grant of BGN 5,000 to Bulgarians fulfilling its requirements who are returning from abroad, as well as the cost of an airline ticket and hotel. 450 Bulgarians on four continents have so far applied to return home.

Author: Iskra Vasileva, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, TELUS International Europe