Sibelco employs 250 people in Ukraine at our Mertsalovo cluster and Kyiv office. A further 150 people are employed at a joint venture near Kharkiv. These operations have been closed since the day of the invasion and all colleagues were safely evacuated home. We are in constant contact with our local management team and have set up specific measures to support Ukrainian colleagues in the country and those whose families are seeking to leave Ukraine.
Colleagues in Sibelco Poland are providing advice and support to Ukrainian colleagues and their families with regard to evacuation from Ukraine. They are also providing financial assistance and guidance on how to obtain medical care, transport, education for children, communications, work etc in Poland. A free ‘helpline’ has also been created for Sibelco employees and their immediate family members.
In addition, Sibelco will make a company donation of EUR 150,000 to the 1212 campaign involving UNICEF Belgium, Caritas International, the Red Cross, Handicap International, Médecins du Monde, Oxfam-Solidarité and Plan International Belgique. These organisations have a presence in Ukraine and neighboring countries with assistance programs in the areas of emergency health care, nutrition, water supply, hygiene, education, psychosocial counseling and protection. Sibelco will also match any donation its employees make in support of the relief effort between now and the end of March and will work with its Ukrainian and Polish colleagues to determine the best use of these funds.
Sibelco has stopped all funding and investments to its Russian operations. Trade is limited to the exports to Russia of a limited number of essential minerals in full compliance with all relevant trade sanctions.
Sibelco will continue to assess the situation as it develops.
