CSR – social responsibility

In line with the strategy, at the beginning of 2023 we also developed our detailed CSR programme, focusing on:

We have involved our employees in the strategy-making process from the outset, which is why since 2021 we have conducted a Sustainability and HSE Culture survey among them every two years.

In our ESG approach, embracing initiatives that support local communities and building closer relationships and long-term cooperation with the involvement of civil society organisations play a prominent role.

As a responsible employer, we focused on the following VALUES when creating our CSR strategy:

Our strategic partner in developing and implementing the programmes is Civil Impact Közhasznú Nonprofit Kft.

Our regular programmes implemented under our CSR Strategy:

Energy poverty alleviation grant programme

For years we have offered our hospitality budget for charitable purposes as part of our social responsibility. Since 2022 this has had a dedicated focus — supporting projects related to energy efficiency and energy poverty — for which civil society organisations can apply each autumn in an open call. In the first year applications were possible in a single (combined) category; since 2023 there have been two categories:

Our winners

Our key beneficiaries are the following civil society organisations

Through our support of the Csányi Foundation for Children, we have for years been easing the energy poverty problems of families of talented but disadvantaged or multiply disadvantaged children.

Since 2023 we have supported the enthusiastic team of the Mosoly Foundation, whose mission is to help sick children heal through storytelling and art therapy.

The Valley of Arts is Hungary’s largest multidisciplinary arts event — more than a festival: a living encounter between people and landscape, culture and community. We at ALTEO also greatly value this “colourful project” and support it.

UNICEF has recognised that the climate crisis is a child rights crisis. Through a variety of activities worldwide it draws young people’s attention to the natural, social and economic problems caused by climate change; its aim is to educate them, create dialogue and raise awareness of the significance of individual action. In Hungary we have supported the programme series launched in 2022 under the “Young Climate Heroes” programme from the very beginning.

With our support, the Miénk A Pálya team assists young people facing education and career choices in schools in Tiszaújváros, helping young people starting from socially or geographically disadvantaged backgrounds develop self-knowledge, career awareness and career consciousness. The “Adopt a School” programme fits well with the goals of supporting local communities set out in ALTEO’s CSR strategy.

Children’s, youth and community programmes are especially important to the Budapest Festival Orchestra. Through supporting its foundation, many disadvantaged children have been able to attend its Cocoa Concerts, visit the Music Castle and share in high-quality musical experiences.

But we support those in need with more than just financial donations!

We believe technology can play a decisive role not only in sustainable energy generation but also in social inclusion, and we have achieved numerous results in putting our used IT equipment to charitable use. When replacing used laptops and desktops that are still in good condition, we take particular care to offer them for charitable purposes — or, if colleagues wish to buy them for their own families, they can do so in exchange for a monetary donation to a selected civil society organisation. In recent years our used laptops have thus supported civil initiatives such as the Hintalovon Foundation’s NEMECSEK programme, the catch-up sessions of the Csörög study centre, the Robotics programme of the Nógrád study centre, the Felelős Gasztrohős team and the Igazgyöngy Foundation.

Our colleagues did not forget about animals either — with their donations they provided food, blankets and bedding materials for the animals cared for by the Ózd organisation of HEROSZ, the “Animal Protection Association for Kiskapud and for Stray Dogs’ Dreams”.

With our school supplies drive we joined the back-to-school collection of the Tűzcsiholó Association, whose campaign supported the residents of the Tiszadob children’s home near our Tiszaújváros sites and the families of those leaving the home.

Our Christmas Angel programme has ranked in the TOP 3 corporate CSR programmes for years. We have brought joy to little girls who sadly had to grow up early — yet were still children… to the young residents of a state child protection institution and to disadvantaged kindergarteners. Whose eyes shone brighter on these occasions — the giver’s or the recipient’s — would be hard to say.

Over the years, company programmes have also “grown out of” our colleagues’ individual initiatives.

One example is joining the “nemluxustáska” campaign, in which we have participated every year since its launch in 2018 whenever it was organised. In the first year or two we could only deliver a few bags through collections among close colleagues, while by 2026 we were able to help women struggling with period poverty with 40 bags and further “bag-filler” packages.

Our “wardrobe clear-out swap parties”, born from a corridor conversation, have come so far that the Tűzcsiholó Association’s minibus now has to arrive empty twice a year to carry away the donated clothes, shoes, books and small household items to their Fecske charity shop.

We organised our first volunteer day in April 2022 for Earth Day, planting trees at 4 locations: Győr, Budapest, Jászapáti and Miskolc. The previous year we had joined the initiative to make our events carbon neutral, so to offset the carbon footprint of our autumn Family Day we donated 234 trees to kindergartens, schools and social institutions. An important selection criterion was choosing institutions where the saplings would be cared for over the long term and where, beyond carbon offsetting, they would serve further social purposes (e.g. education, employment of disadvantaged people). We planted these trees together with the institutions, joining the tree-planting actions organised for Earth Day.

Since 2023 our annual programme has included 2 centrally organised volunteer days. Our spring programme is dedicated to social responsibility, while our autumn actions focus primarily on environmental responsibility. Our employees choose the spring locations through our CIVIL EXPO programme, in which 5 civil society organisations present themselves at our head office and offer volunteering opportunities. From the volunteer programmes offered we select one or two locations based on our colleagues’ votes, and hold our spring volunteer day there. During our autumn initiative we always aim to clear accumulated waste from wetlands near one of our sites, cleaning up the environment in 2–3 municipalities across Hungary at once. Over the years our programmes have moved several tonnes of waste and mobilised hundreds of colleagues.

“Spring”: NGO – CivilExpo: presentations by 5 civil society organisations

2023: Diverzitás Foundation · Para-Fitt Sports Association · Nevetnikék Foundation · Maradjanak a Fák a Rómain Association · Zöldövezet Társulás Association. Winner: Zöldövezet Társulás.

We carried out the volunteer programme created by the association on Sas-hegy: we renovated benches, installed information signs, performed habitat conservation work and, in the process, cleaned up the nature conservation area affected by our work.

2024: Anyák az Anyákért Foundation · Diverzitás Foundation · Csörög Study Centre · Maradjanak a Fák a Rómain Association · Óbuda Meseerdő Kindergarten. Winner: Maradjanak a Fák a Rómain Association.

Under the association’s guidance our colleagues beautified the Római riverbank: they tended shrubs, planted cuttings, built nesting boxes, renovated benches and tables, and watered many thirsty plants.

Anyák az Anyákért Foundation – Aranyhíd children’s home: our enthusiastic volunteers tidied the garden, lined the fence with reeds and painted it. They planted flowers and painted walls and doors — creating a more pleasant, liveable environment.

2025: Anyák az Anyákért Foundation · Csörög Study Centre · Pöttömfalva Kindergarten Association · Luca Kutyamenedék Animal Protection Foundation · Szülők Háza Foundation. Winner: Luca Kutyamenedék.

Our colleagues renovated kennels, filled in many cubic metres of gravel, built and painted fences, and at the end of the day still had energy left for a short walk in the company of the enthusiastic four-legged residents.

Anyák az Anyákért Foundation – Cseppkő Children’s Home Centre: 200 square metres of wall surface received a fresh coat of paint at our colleagues’ hands, and several worn doors became usable again by the end of the day. 4 sets of garden pallet furniture were also completed alongside the newly planted flower garden.

2026: Salvita Foundation · Mazsola Kuckó Foundation · Humusz Association · Anyák az Anyákért Foundation · Adománytaxi Foundation. Winner: Anyák az Anyákért Association – Csillag Special Children’s Home.

On the children’s home playground our enthusiastic volunteers refreshed the fence, the garden tool shed and several playground elements with fresh paint; they planted flowers and renovated a rest bench and table.

Humusz Association – Szentimreváros Kindergarten (District XI): our industrious colleagues built a sensory garden in the kindergarten yard. They repainted the fence and many garden benches, and replanted the flower garden that had been standing empty.

Autumn: “TPP” – “Clean Shore Project” – waste collection volunteer day

Volunteer programmes born of individual initiative

Beyond our centrally organised programmes, numerous workplace teams have formed over the years to support local communities through individual actions, and some also spend their team-building budget on charitable causes. Such programmes have included a team-building litter-picking action (Controlling team) and cleaning and dog-walking at an animal shelter (HR team), but there are also examples of regular support: some return regularly, for instance, to a kindergarten in Nógrád to hold a Santa Claus programme with small gifts (ECK team), or support mothers in need and their families with donations (Accounting).

Sustainability newsletters

Since 2023 we have published our online newsletters monthly. Their topics are tied to notable environmental and sustainability world days and events; they draw attention to social phenomena and problems, and present practical solutions and alternative tools for reducing our environmental footprint.

Our primary aim is awareness-raising and education, so that our colleagues become more conscious about sustainability in their everyday lives as well.

Newsletter topics have included, among others:

Sustainability Ambassador programme

In 2023 we launched the ALTEO Sustainability Ambassador Programme, which — with the approval of the Green Committee — aims to strengthen sustainability awareness within the company. Through the programme we give the Ambassadors the opportunity to be active participants in and shapers of ALTEO’s sustainability efforts!

The aim of the initiative is to help colleagues who are already highly committed to sustainability remain opinion leaders and inspire those around them. Participants are given the opportunity to organise various activities with ALTEO’s backing — such as environmental education in schools, sustainable innovation forums or any CSR activity that builds local communities — for which we provide ongoing support and resources.

Our ambassadors, chosen through nominations, are active initiators of and participants in numerous programmes close to their hearts, and colleagues gladly turn to them with sustainability-related ideas.

Leadership Sustainability Picnic

Our Leadership Sustainability Picnic has been held annually since 2022. The event takes place once a year, in early June, closely tied to World Environment Day. In recent years we have organised these awareness-shaping days for target groups ranging from our middle management up to senior leadership. Our aim on these occasions is to reinforce our leaders’ commitment to the company’s sustainability agenda and to discuss professional news and directions together.

Each event is organised around a different central theme, reflecting the sustainability focus areas of the given year. In one year we highlighted volunteering among our strategic goals and, in that spirit, renovated a playground with our senior colleagues at the Szimbiózis Foundation’s Baráthegy Farm, where we could also gain insight into the residents’ lives and strengthen acceptance of people living with disabilities.

On another occasion we cycled out together to Hajógyári Island to discuss the Sustainability Strategy then taking shape; at other events we talked about the SDGs, invited civil society organisations to present their causes, made sandwiches for people in need — and ALTEO’s leadership has even taken part in a climate fresco session exploring the cause-and-effect relationships of climate change. Guests invited to our round-table discussions always explore a topical subject; these have included the relationship between AI and the human psyche, and we have even probed the question of “where is the boundary of the future in the energy–people–nature triangle?”. Each day closes with individual and corporate leadership pledges, many of which have become excellent initiatives that all support ALTEO’s sustainability goals.

Other educational programmes

Our organisation is committed to education, awareness-raising and credible information, and over the years we have supported numerous organisations and initiatives with this aim.

By supporting the Edisonplatform, created by the Bridge Budapest Association, in 2022–2023, we too contributed to better connecting the civil, market, scientific and educational actors working on children’s futures, to sharing good practices and to creating new knowledge that develops the thinking of children and adults alike.

By supporting the Hősök Tere Foundation’s Local Hero programme in 2024, we contributed to encouraging people to stand up for others in everyday life, so that more people want positive change, act as everyday heroes and know how to achieve it.

The Etesd az eszed programme, created by Nestlé and Okos Doboz, expanded its original health promotion mission in 2024 with a digital content programme on sustainability, to which we actively contributed with educational material.

We believe that the energy of the future lies not only in our power plants but also in young people’s curiosity and desire to grow. That is why in 2025 we joined the Miénk a Pálya Foundation’s “Adopt a School!” programme, helping more than 300 students in Tiszaújváros get closer to their own vision of the future. The programme provides students with career orientation sessions, self-knowledge development, skills training and workplace visits, including an interactive ALTEO escape room where they could experience the world of technician tasks in a playful way. Based on the feedback, the students now embark on further studies with much greater confidence!

In addition, our experts regularly give school talks, take part in sustainability days and share corporate good practice with civil society organisations, and at some of our power plants we also welcome school groups for educational visits.

Health-conscious experience breakfasts

Since 2023 we have organised health-conscious experience breakfasts with varying themes three times a year for colleagues working at our head office.

On these occasions we welcome our colleagues with sustainable, healthy food made from seasonal ingredients bought from local producers and from artisan products. Over breakfast, colleagues can attend educational talks and workshops on sustainability and environmental topics, picking up useful tips, tricks and methods for making healthy, conscious choices in everyday life too. In this framework we have made energy balls and learned how to ferment, or how to plant microgreens that provide natural vitamin boosts in winter. Our loyal partner in delivering the programme is the Felelős Gasztrohős Foundation.

UltraBalaton – running race

We have taken part in this race with our colleagues since 2023 — it is far more than a simple running race, it is a sports project: ~210 km around Lake Balaton, with preparation and training lasting all year.

In the first year we entered one team; since then we have entered two teams of 10+ members each, joined by cycling escorts and, on occasion, volunteers helping with car logistics. This is more than a simple running race — the eight months of background work and preparation are a genuine team-building experience, which has produced a solid core of runners in recent years who have entered the race in all three years, and most of us show a fine development curve in kilometres undertaken and improving time plans. Our results also justify our presence: in all three years we finished in the top third of the field!