CONTROLLED NESTING OF PRECIOUS NORTHERN HOUSE MARTIN IN THE TERRITORY OF SLOVNAFT REFINERY

Dry and warm spring complicates the situation with martins which fly in Slovakia from their wintering site. They cannot build up new nests due to the lack of puddles with mud in the urban environment. The main reasons to the fact that martins are at risk are the installation of building insulation during which martin nests with baby animals are thrown down, the loss of suitable places for building up the nests as a result of thermal insulation installation, the lack of tolerance towards birds staying in windows or on balconies because of dirt and also the lack of nesting material in asphalted suburbs. That is why the premises of factories are becoming an appropriate oasis for nesting, where there is a sufficiency of food, safety and material for building up their nests there. Slovnaft invests several million euros in the environmental protection every year. However, the projects that are important are not only huge groundwater or air protection projects but also activities such as the installation of artificial nests. The big company has teamed up with ornithologists – environmentalists – for the first time to help the birds during the sensitive time of nesting and breeding young birds in its premises.

PROJECT HISTORY

Based on our employee’s initiative, a small-scale project has been elaborated with the support of the company’s management. Financial resources have been allocated and cooperation has been established with the non-governmental organisation SOS BridLife Slovensko. In collaboration with experts, the most suitable places for mounting artificial nests have been identified on the refinery's premises – mainly places where martins used to nest in the past. The nests were installed on administrative buildings in 3 business days using a mobile elevating work platform.

MAIN RESULTS AND OUTCOMES OF THE PROJECT (WHAT CHANGED?)

• The increase in biodiversity on the refinery's premises.
• 50 artificial nests have been installed, available to martins after they return from wintering sites.
• In addition to artificial nests, the pads which catch droppings, protecting windows and facades against pollution, have also been mounted beneath original nests. It is very easy to install the pads and support the co-existence of the people and the useful martins, which catch a number of mosquitos, flies and other insect during their stay in Slovakia.
• The increase in our employees' knowledge of bird nesting.
• Continuous monitoring of a state of bird nests and an occupancy rate.
• Mapping of avifauna on the refinery's premises and inclusion of our refinery in the Atlas of Bratislava Birds. 20 bird species have been identified on the premises. As the most precious of them, Syrian woodpecker nests on the premises mainly because of preserved old fruit trees providing him with appropriate nesting conditions. Syrian woodpecker is often referred to as an indicator of a well-preserved state of and diversity in the countryside (gardens, fruit trees) of Southern Slovakia.

PROJECT BACKGROUND (WHAT WAS THE CHALLENGE?)

Slovnaft Group, a member of MOL Group, has more than 3,000 employees, many of them parents of small children. To facilitate mothers’/parents’ returning to work after parental leave, the Company decided to build a modern and secure kindergarten and nursery for the children of employees, near to their workplaces. Having a child close by is one of the most common requirements of parents when choosing pre-school facilities for children.

2, PROJECT HISTORY

The most important milestones of project implementation were the following:

• Survey in 2012 of employees’ needs for a corporate kindergarten and nursery – the results indicated great interest.
• Preparation of project and reconstruction of an unused building – Slovnaft invested EUR 325,000.
• Building of a playground and green field area for people from the surrounding area of Vlčie hrdlo during opening hours.

One of the biggest challenges was to find a suitable building and operator who was able to fulfill quality requirements – to provide a secure environment, manage pre-school education and create a multicultural environment (Slovakian, Hungarian and English) with native speakers/teachers.

The Slovnaftáčik kindergarten and nursery are primarily reserved for the children of Slovnaft Group´s employees, but places are also available for families from neighboring districts, thus contributing to our good relationships with neighbouring communities. Finally, the Company provides employees with a further benefit – a reduction in monthly fees of between 20% - 30%.

Project results

1, MAIN OUTCOMES OF THE PROJECT (WHAT WAS THE RESULT?)

Slovnaftačik opened in August, 2013, and almost 50 children started a new period in their lives in this totally new space. By 2014, the number of children had increased to 63, 38 of whom were children of Slovnaft employees.

• Slovnaftačik provides year-round day care for children, even during the summer holidays.
• For those Slovnaft employees who placed their children in the Slovnaftačik nursery, the benefits have been:
  • Simplified journey to work
  • Simplified transport to and from the kindergarten due to its close location to Slovnaft offices and buildings
• Opening hours tailored to employee working hours: from 06:30 to 17:00
• A reconstructed old building which takes advantage of the surrounding area. For example, Slovnaftačik is the only kindergarten in Slovakia situated in the same building as a swimming pool, to which the children have access.
• Development of talented children through trilingual educational support, dance, playing musical instruments and art workshops.
• Regular safety inspections are made by employees from Slovnaft’s HSE department.
• The nursery contributes to the better well-being of employees – children are close to parents.

In 2013, Slovnaftačik kindergarten and nursery won a Via Bona Slovakia prize, a famous CSR award and our programme came first out of 52 nominations, in the “Best Employer” category.