As an essential ingredient for health and wellbeing, food security is a particular focus of LyondellBasell’s Advancing Good programme, which is dedicated to investing in charitable organisations that support communities across Europe and around the world. The company invested a total of $1.2 million in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden and the UK in 2023 to address food insecurity, along with general health and youth education.

Volunteer activities

More than simply providing essential funding, LyondellBasell ensures its investments are well spent by addressing the most pressing local issues. Although the Global Corporate Citizenship team allocates resources, it is the local leadership teams at the site level that identify community needs, form committees and select the most impactful projects to support. These local leadership teams organise food-related volunteer activities all year round, including:

• In Rotterdam and nearby towns in the Netherlands, LyondellBasell consistently supports local food banks, aiding 6,000 families.

• The company funded an electric truck for the Rotterdam Food Bank to deliver groceries, aligning with the city’s goal for a zero-emission zone in 2025.

• The company organises two days a month at Voedselbank Rotterdam community supermarkets and encourages employees to volunteer.

• In France, LyondellBasell is partnering with the Banque Alimentaire des Bouches-du-Rhône to open a grocery store in Marseille to offer low-cost products to those in financial need by the end of 2024.

• In Italy, the Ferrara site teamed up with Emporio Solidale Ferrara il Mantello, an organisation dedicated to supporting homeless and underserved families.

• In Germany, LyondellBasell donated funds to offset increased food and energy costs at Tafel Bayreuth e. V., a food bank in Bavaria.

World Food Day

A highlight of 2023 was LyondellBasell’s annual Global Day of Service on 16 October for World Food Day. Colleagues across Europe volunteered together to help their local communities through a variety of activities:

• In Ferrara, Italy, the LyondellBasell team participated in a volunteer marathon. For 12 hours non-stop, the colleagues collected food from local supermarkets and hosted a musical charity event at a local social centre, where free food was offered in exchange for music.

• In Milton Keynes, United Kingdom, colleagues collected and donated grocery items to The Bus Shelter, an organisation that provides food and shelter for the homeless.

• In Moerdijk, the Netherlands, LyondellBasell collaborated with Primary School De Toren to deliver 170 healthy lunch boxes to children and teachers. Employees also gave students interactive educational sessions on how the company’s products help create everyday sustainable living.

• In Rotterdam, colleagues partnered with Voedselbank Rotterdam to volunteer in ten local supermarkets, collecting crates of food and supplies from shoppers. These were donated to provide weekly food packages for more than 150 households and breakfast to 15 local primary schools.

• In Wesseling, Germany, the company collaborated with Jutta’s Suppenküche to donate 450 kilograms of food and prepare 280 food bags made of sustainable materials. The group participated in community initiatives with the local food bank, local school education programmes and neighbourhood maintenance.

Striving to make a meaningful and lasting difference

In total, LyondellBasell colleagues invested 7,500 volunteer hours in supporting local food banks and educational institutes across Europe in 2023, serving 40,000 people. Reflecting on this impact, Peter Vanacker, CEO, LyondellBasell, said:

‘We are dedicated to creating solutions for healthier, sustainable and equitable communities, now and for generations to come. No one, adult or child, should go to bed, work or school hungry. I’m extremely proud that our team, LyondellBasell, took action on World Food Day to address this global community crisis. And as a member of the United Nations Global Compact, participating in World Food Day demonstrates our commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and zero hunger and good health and well-being.’

Going forward, LyondellBasell will continue nurturing the positive relationships it has built with local communities. On 16 October 2024, the company once again facilitated a global volunteer effort on World Food Day to fight food insecurity, one bite at a time.