We take care of the environment, we develop community life and support local traditions in the regions where we do our business. We consider it
our duty to help resolve global
and local issues such as
the protection of water resources or support of local traditions.

Grant programmes have been organized in our breweries for 18 years. Via these programmes we have been financially supporting projects and organisations in the regions where we operate, according to the needs in the given locality. Non-profit organizations can apply for our grant programme with projects which improve the lives of local people and liven up communities.

We consider the non-profit sector an essential base for a healthy democratic society. Therefore, we support their development. Each supported non-profit organization received, apart from financial support, also a CZK 5000 voucher for educating their employees.

Local associations, non-profit organizations, registered churches, religious associations or contribution-based organizations operating in the Velké Popovice and Kamenice regions can apply for the Kozel to the People programme through which Plzeňský Prazdroj seeks to follow the Ringhoffer’s tradition. This family was instrumental in the development of Velké Popovice and its surroundings. And the brewery is looking to do the same thing. We support projects which improve the lives of local inhabitants and help protect the nature, or organize interesting cultural events including those which remind people of the local history.

For example, in 2019, financial support was provided to a Velkopopovice company arranging a travelling exhibition of historical photos, and to the Cultural Centre in Kamenice which is gradually improving the educational trail called Krajinou barona Ringhoffera (Through the Countryside of Baron Ringhoffer). Thanks to the support from the brewery, this trail will gain a new set of tourist signs and new information boards will be added.

In 2019, a project focused on strengthening the ecological stability of the Velkopopovicko natural park was seen as a huge success by the public and by the professional committee. Environmentalists, together with a contribution from the local inhabitants, planted twenty fruit trees in autumn and further planting is planned for 2020. Employees of the brewery will also take part when taking the days off which they are given to pursue voluntary activities.

During the eight years of the programme, the brewery has supported over 60 local projects and distributed over eight million Czech Crowns between them.

The Radegast Brewery knows that water is a valuable ingredient. In the last 10 years, the Radegast Brewery has invested tens of millions of Czech crowns into water management-related projects and during this period, it has reduced the consumption of water needed for brewing beer by 38 %. The brewery traditionally achieves the best results in water consumption per hectolitre of beer. It is no surprise that apart from water management it also decided to support projects which fight against drought.

Last year, for example, the grant programme Radegast lidem supported the project Hory, louky a voda of the organization ČSOP Salamandr. This project strives to improve biodiversity and the condition of valuable mountain meadows in several places within the protected area in the Beskydy Mountains. Water management is also the subject of the project Rekonstrukce hospodaření s odpadními vodami (Reconstruction of Waste Water Management) in Skalka.

The project Putování s kapkou vody (A Journey with a Raindrop) has the goal of raising people’s awareness of the importance of water in the countryside and of careful water management with rainwater. This project was also prepared by the Severomoravské regionální sdružení ČSOP. The voluntary fire brigade in Staré Zubří also received financial support. They plan to help with the retention of water in the countryside of the Pivčánek region.

The grant programme prepared by Radegast distributed a total of CZK 1.4 M between eight non-profit organizations.

The Plzeňský Prazdroj Brewery lives together with its city and has been helping its inhabitants in good and bad times for 178 years now. The history of the support for the city given by the brewery and the citizens with brewing rights who established the brewery is actually even longer.
Even prior to establishing the brewery, the citizens used parts of the profit from brewing beer – brewed in small breweries past the city walls at that time – to financially support numerous big and small projects which helped the people of Pilsen. For instance, they helped to build the barracks of the 35th infantry regiment, thanks to which the city did not have to accommodate the soldiers at its own expense. In the 1930s, the then city brewery financed the construction of the Pilsen theatre.

The brewery also contributed to those injured in wars, to orphanages and it provided finances for repairs of cultural sights. Its support for the region was essential during the floods which struck the city at the end of the 19th century.

The brewery also took care of the Lochotín Orchards in Pilsen, which were bought from the city in 1849. They were turned into a pleasant “recreational area” for the people of Pilsen. After the nationalization of the brewery in 1950, the park was maintained by the City Council.

The next significant period of sponsorship started after the Velvet Revolution. For example, the grant programme Občanská volba (Inhabitants’ Choice) enabled support for projects which in the eyes of the inhabitants of the given area were the most beneficial ones. This programme was followed up by the still running Prazdroj lidem (Prazdroj to the People) which set the goal of improving the quality of life in Pilsen through supporting interesting projects.

In the name of the programme, CZK 2.4M was distributed in 2019. We supported, for example, the revitalization of an old bowling hall which will be turned into a modern cycling centre for Pilsen citizens.

Last year, we managed to involve 320 out of a total of 2,000 employees in volunteering programmes thanks to targeted motivation and a wide range of programmes. This was a year-on-year increase of more than 5 %.

The voluntary programmes were really varied, from mowing grass on meadows and collecting rubbish (Nošovice) and revitalization of a park including planting trees (Velké Popovice) to baking sweets (Plzeň). Anyone who was interested could thus get involved.

Employees can take up to two paid days off for volunteering. These days off may be used for activities which can be found all year round on our company portal. Alternatively, employees can help improve the surroundings of our breweries or come up with their own project.

Last year, we also motivated our employees to volunteer professionally. This type of volunteering is meant to interconnect our employees as professionals in certain areas with representatives of non-profit organizations so help and consulting can be provided in the areas of administration, marketing, human resources, strategic planning or fund-raising.

Two workshops took place in 2019, one of them with the non-profit organization OPIM, which focuses on human rights and inclusive education, and the second one with an association of people with acquired brain damage called CEREBRUM. We agreed to continue both types of cooperation.

“The expert group of professionals from Plzeňský Prazdroj absolutely fascinated me and opened my eyes. I left the first meeting really energized and decided to fully and completely redesign the association and its strategy. I greatly appreciate the honest feedback, genuine interest and the empathy shown, and also the expertise and good dose of humour. I managed to completely redesign OPIM’s identity within four months and also to set a strategy and find a partner for a business concept of our services.

Jana Tikalová, founder of the OPIM organization

The Gambrinus Brewery, which used to support the top football league, is now supporting local players. It has been doing so since 2010 through the project Kopeme za fotbal (We Kick for Football). Almost a thousand agreements have been signed with clubs across the Czech Republic.

The programme for the support of performance football stands on three pillars. The brewery ensures the sports equipment needed, such as jerseys and balls, it supports selected programmes which focus on developing individual sports activities through grants, and it also interconnects local football communities by organizing various events and establishing centres where regional football clubs can share techniques or other high-demand services.

In 2019, Gambrinus invested over CZK 6M in improving football facilities and equipment through the grant programme. Each team that enters the project gets a starter pack (a set of jerseys or balls) and it can get a package tour of European football or a friendly match with a Czech football team, support from professional coaches or Gambrinus beer kegs.

The traditional pre-Christmas auction of Pilsner Urquell design bottles raised more than CZK 2M in 2019, which represents the second highest amount collected in the history of the project. The auction took place for the eighth time and the whole amount, like every year, went to Centrum Paraple (Paraplegic Center o.p.s.) which helps people with spinal cord injuries and their families. The design of the collection was devoted to the 30th anniversary of freedom. The bottles were designed by successful Czech designer and glass-maker Lukáš Novák.

The auctions of Pilsner Urquell bottles have raised a total of CZK 11M for Centrum Paraple. Centrum Paraple utilizes the funds to purchase therapeutic and sports aids, as well as for wages of personal assistants and nursing services.

In 2020, Centrum Paraple will celebrate the 25th anniversary of its foundation. On this occasion, Plzeňský Prazdroj decided to donate CZK 10 to the foundation for each one-litre special Christmas edition Pilsner Urquell bottle sold.