Published 01-13-09
Submitted by Global Sustain Limited (Ltd.)
Athens, Greece -- January 13, 2009 -- EuroCharity is pleased to announce that -- following its successful annual on-line voting procedure in which 4,356 confirmed votes were registered throughout the month of November 2008 (versus 1,345 registered votes a year before) and after the official decision of its charity committee made in December 2008 -- the values-based company that owns and operates Greece's Corporate Social Responsibility Directory will be donating 25% of its total membership fees received in fiscal 2008 (January 1 - December 31) to two hard-needed, non-profit projects that will be carried out by the following two citizen-sector organisations:
1) MOm/Hellenic Society for the Study and Protection of the Mediterranean Monk Seal (chosen by EuroCharity's portal visitors, members and stakeholders via an on-line voting procedure; MOm received 1,759 confirmed votes and will therefore get 50% of EuroCharity's total to-be-donated funds).
The Hellenic Society for the Study and Protection of the Mediterranean Monk Seal is a Greek, non-profit, non-governmental, environmental organisation that is member of the World Conservation Union (IUCN). Headquartered in Greece's capital (18, Solomou Street, GR-106 82 Athens) and active since 1988, MOm works for the protection of the marine and coastal environment though the study and protection of the Mediterranean monk seal.
The Society is also known as MOm, from the scientific name for the Mediterranean monk seal –(MO)nachus (m)onachus. To achieve its mission, MOm carries out actions in the following fields:
EuroCharity's donation will help fund MOm's research team, which consists of specialised marine biologists and technicians, since continious research is needed to understand the requirements of the Mediterranean monk seal and its biotopes in Greece.
The Mediterranean monk seal is the most (no. 1) endangered marine mammal in Europe and ranks in the top 12 most critically endangered animals world-wide.
The Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) is one of 34 Pinniped species in the world and the only species of Phocidae living in subtropical waters. The other two Monachus species are the Hawaiian monk seal Monachus schauinslandi, also critically endangered, and the Caribbean monk seal Monachus tropicalis, which is considered extinct.
Today, the Mediterranean monk seal is one of the rarest seal species and one of the six most critically endangered mammals on our planet. According to available data, the largest global population of the species lives and breeds in Greek seas, while accounting for approximately 90% of the European population of the species.
According to past estimates, the size of the monk seal population in Greece is between 200-500 seals (Marchessaux and Duguy, 1979; Vamvakas et al., 1979). More recent data indicates a population of 200-250 seals (Reijnders et al., IUCN, 1993). After 14 million years of presence in our seas, there are fewer than 500 left in the wild, and none in captivity. If nothing is done about this situation, they are about to pass from history.
2) Social Solidarity NGO: (chosen by our charity committee; Social Solidarity will receive 50% of EuroCharity's total to-be-donated funds).
Headquartered at: 12, Siatistis Street & Filippou Street, GR-546 31 Thessaloniki.
More specifically, part of a to-be-created children's play centre (day nursery) at the Thessaloniki Refugee Centre will be financed by EuroCharity, a hard-needed project especially considering that many refugee parents in Greece's Northern capital are away from their child(ren) during the day.
Furthermore, EuroCharity commits to place the two chosen non-profit projects of these organisations in the spotlight throughout 2009, free of charge, through project updates, promotional campaigns (such as banners on EuroCharity's bi-lingual portal), informing its members and stakeholders of the need for other (corporate) donors to come on board, etc.
This year, EuroCharity's five-member charity committee was made up of the following professionals:
EuroCharity wishes to thank the following 25 members that contributed to the total amount (which this year will be slightly over EUR 12,000) that will be donated by our company to the above-mentioned non-profit organisations (in alphabetical order):
About Global Sustain
Founded in 2006, Global Sustain with offices in Athens, Berlin, Brussels, London, New York and Nicosia, creates awareness and inspires and supports companies and organisations to embody sustainability, through advisory, communications, networking and training, with a focus on the people-planet-profit philosophy. Its members include corporations, non-governmental and non-profit organisations, municipalities and local authorities, educational foundations, media, professional bodies, think tanks and other public or private entities. Global Sustain is a signatory to the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact, to the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), a GRI Data Partner and Organisational Stakeholder (OS), an affiliated member of the Academy of Business in Society, Social Value International, Institute of Directors, CEO Clubs and EFQM. www.globalsustain.org / www.globalsustaingroup.com
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