Page 8 - Book about Friendship and Future.Stories of Volunteers.
P. 8

Oleg Pisklov


                                                                                                                  Managing Director of KFC Russia & CIS, CEE

                                                                                                                     Yum! company has been developing KFC brand in Russia for
                                                                                                                  about 10 years already. When operations only started in 2010, we
                                                                                                                  already knew that our business would be socially responsible,
                                                                                                                  and we started pondering how to help the society.
                                                                                                                     I had an interesting conversation with one of my old university
                                                                                                                  friends then. We were discussing what was more important: to
                                                                                                                  do something good by oneself or try creating something big,
                                                                                                                  systemic and long-term. We were studying many examples: what
                                                                                                                  was happening in Russia and around the world, who was helping
                                                                                                                  whom and how, how charity was being developed. Then I had an
                                                                                                                  insight: there are so many problems in the society, that we need
                                                                                                                  to make not a one-time action, but something substantial, and to
                                                                                                                  fully invest into that.
                                                                                                                     We decided that we should start with helping teenagers. In
                                                                                                                  that case, the impact would be serious and the changes would
                                                                                                                  be long-term. After all, the society is born with the young ones
                                                                                                                  and it grows and develops together with them. Besides, this top-
                                                                                                                  ic is familiar to us because the company is comprised mostly of
                                                                                                                  young people. Thus, the idea of a charity fund was born – a fund
                                                                                                                  that will provide aid to teenagers from orphanages.
                                                                                                                     The idea turned out to be a challenge: we had no partners,
                                                                                                                  no infrastructure, no money to invest into that. But we have man-
                                                                                                                  aged to implement it. And I  am very proud that now there is
                                                                                                                  a charity fund dealing with the teenagers’ career guidance, fund
                                                                                                                  raising, engaging volunteers to participate in the programs. I see
                                                                                                                  a big difference with what we used to have: the number of kids
                                                                                                                  whom we have helped, the number of corporate volunteers, the
                                                                                                                  amount of funds that we have raised. I enjoy participating in the
                                                                                                                  activities and communicating  with teenagers  whenever I  can.
                                                                                                                  Everyone in our company is aware of the fund and everyone is
                                                                                                                  ready to help.
                                                                                                                     I express my gratitude to all the company volunteers! I respect
                                                                                                                  all those who find time to do something good. I wish our compa-
                                                                                                                  ny would get more and more volunteers, and to those who have
                                                                                                                  started, I tell: “Please continue!”
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