DS Smith donates €50,000 to UNICEF

Christmas is the time we can bring a bit of happiness to others. This year DS Smith has decided that instead of giving its customers presents it will make a donation to UNICEF instead. By forgoing a present, every customer of the company also contributes towards undernourished children getting a chance for a better life at Christmas.

"In the past we gave our customers a variety of presents for Christmas," says Michael Lamprecht, Sales & Marketing Director, at DS Smith l Packaging Division D-A-CH. "Several of our customers told us that they would be pleased if the money was instead used to support a good cause. Furthermore, many employees are no longer able to accept a present themselves due to strict regulations, particularly in large corporations."

Donation instead of customer presents

This year DS Smith has decided to keep just a small selection of calendars and, instead of the usual Christmas presents for customers, to make a donation of €50,000 to UNICEF via the DS Smith Charitable Foundation. The money is going to the UNICEF campaign "Donations instead of presents", which is this year focussing on helping malnourished children.

"We operate sustainably and this also includes taking responsibility as a company," explains Per Vinge Frederiksen, Managing Director, DS Smith l Packaging Division D-A-CH. "Children are our future and at the same time the weakest link of our society. I am very pleased that this year we have taken a new path to help children around the world."

"With the donation UNICEF can provide help where it is needed the most. Severely malnourished children will now get a chance at a better life. Nobody should be forced to flee their homes to stop themselves from starving," says Anja Röhrle, Marketing Manager D-A-CH at DS Smith.

"I am very pleased that DS Smith is supporting the "Donations instead of presents" campaign by UNICEF and hope that this amazing and brave decision will be much imitated," says Ritva Mikkonnen-Diegelmann, head of the Fulda UNICEF work group, who received the donation cheque on behalf of UNICEF.