Stronger together: Support for Ukrainian employees

From Strategy to Action: Navigating the Crisis Together

Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, our dedication to social responsibility has taken on a profound new significance. Through thorough planning and proactive measures by our crisis team starting from November 2021, we swiftly executed evacuation plans. Ensuring the safety of our staff and their loved ones residing in the embattled cities of Kharkiv, Kyiv, and Odesa, we rescued 150 people from Kharkiv, 100 from Kyiv and around 300 from Odesa. They were relocated to secure areas, whether in less affected regions within Ukraine or in other countries.

To ensure continuity of work, co-working spaces were rented at several locations in Western Ukraine. Up to now, we have permanent co-working spaces in Kyiv and Lviv. These have shelters that can accommodate more than 100 people and grant electricity, vital products and internet connections. Many of the Ukrainian employees who decided to relocate are currently working in the Czech Republic, Germany, Portugal, Poland and Moldova, having been seamlessly integrated into our subsidiary offices. However, a significant number have opted to remain within various regions of Ukraine, either working remotely or commuting to our offices in Kyiv, Lviv, and Odesa. Therefore, the local headquarter in Odesa was equipped with an autonomous power supply and with a Starlink internet connection, so that up to 300 employees have access to power and internet. Additionally, we have fortified our facilities with essential supplies and protective gear, to prioritize the safety and well-being of our team.

The organization of an initial medical training equipped our Ukrainian colleagues with the skills needed to navigate life-threatening situations and extend aid to others in need, and through our partnership with a leading counseling firm since 2022 we provide mental health support to all our employees in all locations. Confidential 24/7 hotlines are available, including online sessions conducted by qualified counselors and psychologists in various languages, not only Ukrainian and Russian.

As a proactive measure, we maintain reserved transport and accommodations within safe territories of Ukraine, standing ready to respond quickly to any escalation in the conflict, should the need arise.For these efforts, AUTODOC was granted the European Excellence Award in the Automotive and Retail categories with the campaign “How AUTODOC rescued its employees in Ukraine”, which was awarded on December 9, 2022.

“Through excellent crisis management and outstanding communication, AUTODOC coped with this unprecedented crisis. It rescued its employees and was able to continue its business without interruption. This generated positive resonance in leading media outlets and strengthened AUTODOC‘s reputation.”

Source: https://www.excellence-awards.com/best-of-2022