Local Community Engagement

As a socially responsible company, Sika supports local communities. Community engagement for Sika is the process of working collaboratively with neighborhoods to address issues affecting the well-being of its residents. This engagement is the driver to bring social, environmental, and behavioral changes that will improve the lives of the communities and its members. This involves partnerships with NGOs and associations that help mobilize resources and influence the prospects of those neighborhoods in a positive way. Sika defines “communities” as non-commercial stakeholder groups of local companies, neighborhoods, educational institutions bringing forward social activities an+d projects, environmental programs, and the development of recover programs.

Community engagement is important to Sika and its communities for the following reasons:

Sika Communities/Local Citizens
  • Increased trust: working together improves communication and understanding of mutual points of view.
  • Empowerment and integration: underprivileged stakeholders can gain greater control over their lives and improve theirsituation on a sustained basis. 
  • “Good Corporate Citizenship”: commitment to social issues demonstrates Sika’s responsibility to society.
  • Providing more effective local solutions: drawing on Sika knowledge leads to practical and effective solutions.
  • Awareness and mutual understanding: increase awareness and understanding of Sika’s values and expertise locally.
  • Improved knowledge and skills in problem solving: individuals learn about issues in-depth through practical experience.
  • Broaden local networks: shared projects help to support collaborative efforts and to envisage further social and business-related projects.
  • Access to valuable services and activities: community members can develop capabilities that enable them to be an active part of society and to contribute to the community itself.

 “Sika Cares” Community Engagement Program

The “Sika Cares” community engagement program focuses on improving the quality of life of children, adults, and families in the local communities in which Sika operates worldwide. The program started in 2019 to give back to the societies Sika teams are operating in. Sika staff enjoys the intangible benefit of giving a feeling of connectedness and the satisfaction of trying to make the world a better place. The company aims to support local third parties to help people to develop themselves. With this program, Sika companies ensure that local community members have access to valued social settings and activities, that Sika staff can contribute meaningfully to those activities through volunteering work, and that functional capabilities are provided to enable individuals to participate in their communities. To achieve this goal, cooperation with and support for existing and professional charity organizations is given priority. In 2021, Sika started to develop a guideline on how to select, plan and run social community engagements projects. The content of this guideline has been developed in cooperation with a set of pilot countries and an external expert who is part of the Sika Sustainability Advisory Board. Sika Cares is focusing on the following three areas:

EDUCATION AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING
SUPPORTING EDUCATION

Investment in good education gives young people the most important tool they need to lead an independent life. Sika works to ensure that disadvantaged children and young people get a genuine chance in life.

BUILDINGS AND INFRASTRUCTURE
BUILDING SUSTAINABLY

The health and dynamism of communities also depends on the infrastructure in place for people and the environment. This is where Sika comes in with its expertise and product solutions.

WATER AND CLIMATE PROTECTION
SAFEGUARDING LIVING ENVIRONMENTS

Sika employees support projects which link social causes with ecological interests

Some Current Sika Community Engagement and Volunteerism Projects

Suggested Searches
Year

Year

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Topic

Topic

Building and Infrastructure Education and Training Other Water and Climate Protection
Location

Location

Africa Americas Asia Europe
SDG

SDG

SDG 11 - Sustainable cities and communities SDG 13 - Climate action SDG 4 - Quality education and lifelong learning SDG 6 - Clean Water and Sanitation SDG 8 - Decent work and economic growth
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Kids at Project Inspire Tanzania

Tanzania: Project Inspire

Sika Tanzania is supporting “ProjeKt Inspire”, a youth based and youth led initiative aiming at opening career options to younger generations. The program helps students to choose the best courses in universities, and yet be able to get involved in extra curricula activities that prepares them with knowledge and skills needed in the global market.

Sika supports construction of a hospital in Peru

Sika engages with the non-profit organization Vidawasi and supports the Construction of a Hospital for Peruvian children and young people who suffer from complex diseases and childhood cancer.
Patch of hand sanitizer produced by Sika in Germany

Sika's Global Contribution to the Fight Against Covid-19

Sika has joined the fight against coronavirus. From producing and donating our own hand sanitizer to employees and local healthcare facilities, to distributing protective gear, Sika’s global subsidiaries have been working tirelessly to support their local communities. We would like to thank all our employees for their hard work and commitment during these challenging times.
Lisca Bianca

Lisca Bianca, Italy

The collaboration between Sika Italy and Lisca Bianca, which began in 2016, continues. Lisca Bianca is dedicated to the social and work integration of young people that had a complex childhood. Sika Italy has given support to this project, providing construction solutions and technical equipment.
Kids School Libraries China

China: Library Project

Sika China is cooperating with "Library Project", a non-profit charity organization. Fulfilling social responsibilities and supporting basic education, the Library Project of Sika China has been in operation for four years since 2015. The Little Yellow Helper volunteer team of Sika has been to the remote areas in Chongqing, Sichuan, Hebei, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Jiangxi and other provinces, creating reading rooms and corners in 73 elementary schools, donating more than 67,000 books and providing more comfortable and safer learning environments for more than 18,000 students.
Team Spain

Spain: Fundación Gil Gayarre

Sika Spain collaborates with the Gil Gayarre Foundation. The team of Sika Spain is helping to renovate the buildings of “Fundación Gil Gayarre”. This Foundation is committed to integration of and equal opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities who are struggling to be considered full citizens.
Langbos

South Africa: Langbosch Children's home

The local community has come together to develop a new home for the Langbos Children’s Shelter situated near Port Elizabeth. Sika donated Cemflex® , an acrylic based emulsion, to be used as protective and waterproofing coating for the roofs and walls of the new children's home.

Ecuador: Sika supports Alianza Suiza

Sika is supporting Fundación Alianza Suiza in Ecuador.

Sika CZ participates at the Good Angels System

The main idea of the social project Sika Czech Republic (CZ) is running annually is to involve staff in assisting socially disadvantaged or handicapped children and their families by promoting quality education.

Myanmar: Renovation of schools

Sika supports the NGO 600kids-org and is actively commited to renovate schools in the Irrawaddy Delta, southwest of Yangon. Millions of people live in very poor conditions in this region, and numerous locations and schools can only be reached by boat.

Sika Austria supports the sheltered workshop

Sika Austria supports the sheltered workshop in Lower Austria with flooring solution

Refurbishment of school for deaf people

The refurbishment of the Fulton School for the Deaf, Durban, South Africa, involved a revamp of the school’s Manor House, both interior and exterior, as well as the principle’s house, and a few other internal accommodation sections. Sika assisted with the products to do the revamp and a contractor donated his time to do the revamp.

Habitat Management, Switzerland

The teams of Corporate Communications/Investor Relations and Web Services, together with the Swiss Caritas organization, committed to a work assignment on Alp Aeschiallmend, near Spiez in the Bernese Oberalps, and supported a farm family business in carrying out alpine maintenance work.

South Africa: Sika volunteers to reduce plastic waste

Sika is cooperating with Ocean Plastic Technologies, an organisation which operates a network of micro recycling plants designed for use in developing economies. Their plants recycle reclaimed ocean, landfill and multi-layer plastic for processing and remanufacture back into the supply chain. Sika staff volunteered to support the collection of plastic waste.

Kenya: Fight against Covid-19

Sika Kenya donated washing stations to the Machakos County. Sika staff distributed those devices to teachers, students and of less privileged schools and to small hospitals within the county.

Renovation of Schools in Thailand: Sika Staff volunteering

Sika (Thailand) Co., Ltd. has worked with communities, schools, foundations, and organizations throughout its operations in Thailand to provide both financial support and volunteer activity that brings joy to the community, society, and the nation.

Sika promotes construction related jobs for women

Sika promotes gender diversity in the construction business and processes know-how about construction related professions through real experience for women.

Help for people in German regions affected by flooding

In July 2021, the worst flooding hit the provinces of North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland Palatinate in Germany and neighboring Belgium as well as the Netherlands. The damage caused by the torrential rains left residents devastated. Volunteers from all parts of the country and from abroad were flocking together to rebuild the flood-ravaged regions.

Sika supports youth shelter in Montreal, Canada

In summer 2021, Sika Canada was proud to help improve the living environment of a youth shelter in Montreal. With the help of Sika staff, the right tools, the gracious collaboration of Sika business partners and the desire to make a difference in the community, the building's exterior courtyard and various concrete structural elements were renovated in two days. With this project, Sika Canada demonstrated both community engagement and team imvolvement.
Sika Chile demonstrates community engagement and has joined the “Zona Cero” project of the University of Chile. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals in the country were facing an increase of in-patients

Modular Building: Sika supports Hospital Project "Zona Cero"

Sika Chile demonstrates community engagement and has joined the “Zona Cero” project of the University of Chile. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals in the country were facing an increase of in-patients. The Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism of the University of Chile, developed auxiliary building modules that could be easily located outside hospital facilities.

Neighbors helping Neighbors - Rebuilding Together, USA

Together with corporate and community partners of "Rebuilding Together", Sika volunteers repair homes, revitalize communities and rebuild lives. Rebuilding Together’s local affiliates and nearly 100,000 volunteers in total complete about 10,000 rebuild projects nationwide each year.

UPSV - Integration Center, Romania

The Integration Center UPSV, Romania, provides shelter, assistance in finding a job, medical care, legal advice and food for young orphans who are about to reach the age of 18. The integration center encourages them to show initiative and to use their own judgement within the institutions they grew up in. Hundreds of young orphans are benefiting from this project and hundreds of lives will be impacted.
Green Filter Event in South Africa

Green Filter South Africa

The Stellenbosch River Collaborative was looking to improve the water quality in the town’s rivers, and is supporting the piloting of Eco-Machine Technology to divert and treat water from the Plankenbrug River. What is most relevant is that these systems not only solve ecological challenges, but provide significant opportunities for job creation. This is the first initiative of its kind to take place in South Africa.

Improving Community Infrastructure in Brazil

Sika Brazil cooperates with the NGO TETO/TECHO. The goal is to provide a home for the people living in underprivileged communities. The organization is recognized by the UN as one of the best NGOs for private sector partnerships.
Drinking Water ZA

Drinking Water Project in the Community of Gumbi, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

The community of Gumbi has poor access to reliable and clean drinking water from natural resources. Historically poor land management, the spread of foreign invasive plants and severe droughts in recent years have changed and degraded the land of the Gumbi community.
Water Source in Burundi

Clean Drinking Water for School Kids in Burundi

People in Burundi lack clean drinking water and sanitation. The situation is aggravated by the return of war refugees, who preferably settle in the capital of Burundi, in Bujumbura - the demand exceeds the local water availability. Three schools are benefiting from the project supported by Sika, and drinking water will be provided to about 5,000 school children and residents in the villages in total. At present, the schools withdraw the needed drinking and cooking water from small water holes or irrigation canals. This untreated water is strongly contaminated with bacteria causing serious diarrheal diseases.