Social
We invest in our people with the aim of having
happy, healthy and motivated individuals and teams.
We strive to make a positive impact in our local
communities, especially through the current
challenging times. We categorise our social investment into three areas:
Education: we will demonstrate our commitment to the next generation of talent by promoting science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) as the skills required for our industry in the future.
Community Engagement: Being socially responsible is integral to what we do. We aim to make a positive difference to the communities where we operate and seek ways to assist them.
People: Social engagement with our people.
We pride ourselves on being a good neighbour. We listen to the communities we work in and support charities and organisations where our assistance, whether financial or hands-on, can make a genuine difference.
Each year we select two or three charities to partner with and support them in ways that have the biggest impact for them. In 2022 we partnered with AberNecessities, a local, non-profit charity that supports underprivileged families in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, C-Fine, a social enterprise that supports disadvantaged, vulnerable and low-income families and communities in the North-East of Scotland, and Archway, a parent-led charity that supports children and adults with learning disabilities and their families.
People involved with Kellas, whether as employees, contractors or partners, are at the heart of our business and we are committed to creating a stimulating, fun and open work culture that promotes personal development and work/life balance, rewards competitively and celebrates success.
Kellas Staff Rally Round for Local Charities
Kellas staff have been once again rolling up their (Christmas jumper) sleeves to provide much needed volunteering support for Abernecessities’ Christmas Eve box appeal.
Around 18% of children living across Aberdeen city and shire are living in poverty. This is one of the disturbing statistics that led Kellas to select Abernecessities as one of our partner charities a few years ago and we are delighted to continue to support them. One of the ways we provide support is through staff volunteering days. We particularly like to support the charity at this time of year by helping to prepare the many Christmas Eve boxes that they distribute throughout December. As a company, and as individuals, we are delighted to be able to provide hands-on support, especially since this year the charity has seen its biggest rise in applications for support since it started out in 2019.
Abernecessities, with the help of essential volunteers, will prepare and distribute around 3,000 Christmas Eve boxes containing gifts, clothing and essential items to vulnerable families over the festive period.
Kellas supports many local charities through ad-hoc donation requests and staff match funding. This is where staff can apply for Kellas to match the amount of cash they raise themselves (up to £250) for charities close to their hearts. This year, our Assistant Accountant, Sarah Anderson, took part in the epic Glencoe marathon and raised £1,238 for Mental Health Aberdeen!
We also select three partner charities to work with over a longer period of time, usually three years. The aim is to provide sustained support in the form of cash, donations and hands-on time through volunteering. Abernecessities is one of our partner charities. The other two are Cfine, who we have been supporting for the past two years and Archway, our newest addition, which we have been supporting throughout 2021.
Cfine is a registered charity that provides a range of support and services for disadvantaged, vulnerable, low-income families and communities in the North East of Scotland. One of the ways Kellas provides support to Cfine is through monthly donations to their food bank. We work with the charity to agree what they need, then order the provisions to be sent directly to them once a month. Cfine is one of the core charities that are making a difference in improving the health and well being of people across the North East - and for many it’s an absolute lifeline.
The most recent of our partner charities is Archway, a parent-led local charity based in Aberdeen providing care and support to nearly 200 children and adults with learning disabilities and their families. They provide a range of community-based services which include permanent care, residential respite breaks, holiday respite breaks, emergency respite and day activities. The stories of some of those who depend on Archway show how this support is changing lives.
In addition to cash donations, Kellas staff have also supported Archway through hands-on volunteering. In September, a team of volunteers from Kellas spent a half-day at Archway's facilities in Westburn Road, helping redecorate their games room, which located at the rear of the garden and is used regularly by residents to enjoy some time away from the house as well as for party nights, discos and karaoke!
It’s been another challenging year for so many vulnerable groups and individuals and we are committed and proud to be able to provide support in the ways we can. We look forward to continuing this support in 2022!
Archway - supporting children and adults with learning disabilities
Archway was established in the 1980’s and was the first parent-led charity in Aberdeen. At that time there was no respite provision in Aberdeen so a group of parents of children with learning disabilities got together to investigate the possibility of developing this service for their children.
Today, Archway proud to still be parent-led and provides a range of community-based services which include permanent care, residential respite breaks, holiday respite breaks, emergency respite and day activities. They currently support nearly 200 children and adults with learning disabilities and their families.
In early September, a team of volunteers from Kellas spent a half-day at Archway's facilities in Westburn Road, helping redecorate their games room, which located at the rear of the garden and is used regularly by residents to enjoy some time away from the house as well as for party nights, discos and karaoke!
CFINE - Tackling Poverty in the North East of Scotland
Community Food Initiatives North East (CFINE) is a social enterprise committed to social, environmental and economic development and works to cooperative, or ‘Community Development’ principles.
Their mission is to improve health and well-being and the environment, tackle poverty and build resilience through a range of support and services for and with disadvantaged, vulnerable, low-income individuals, families and communities in NE Scotland.
CFINE provides much needed support to the community and Kellas selected them as one of its partner charities as their work is aligned with our principles and focus on supporting the communities in which we work.
As part of our sponsorship, we provide monthly food donations and support for specific fundraisers, such as the “Appetite for Change” event where volunteers raised money by living on a budget of £2 per day for five days to help build awareness of food insecurity. One of our colleagues raised over £500 by completing this challenge, which was no easy task but a real eye opener as to what many people in our local community are having to deal with on a daily basis.
Aberdeen Science Centre – The Great Gas Journey
Kellas Midstream partnered with Aberdeen Science Centre to develop and deliver an educational workshop that is giving children from across the North East of Scotland the opportunity to learn about where gas comes from, how it gets from the North Sea to our homes, and its importance, both in our day to day lives, and as part of the UK’s diverse energy mix.
The workshop, called The Great Gas Journey, launched at the end 2017 and is part of Aberdeen Science Centre’s STEM learning programme. It involves children working in groups playing the role of a midstream infrastructure company like Kellas Midstream, to design and build a new gas pipeline that can transport gas safely, efficiently and cost-effectively from the North Sea, to an onshore processing terminal or refinery.
SensationALL – DIY Day
Kellas Midstream partnered with Aberdeen-based charity SensationALL to provide much needed hands-on support.
SensationALL provides support and multi-sensory experiences for children and adults with disabilities and multiple support needs, their families and associated professionals. In 2016, the charity was successful in its application for a Community Asset Transfer from Aberdeenshire Council for the Old Schoolhouse building in Westhill and is now working towards transforming it into a purpose-built facility.
In 2017, Kellas Midstream funded the purchase and installation of a new summer house, and was involved in painting, gardening and general maintenance. In 2018, the team was involved in removing and replacing cupboards, painting the main activity room, and upgrading the outdoor garden space. Kellas also funded the cost of new flooring and storage units.
Children Challenging Industry
The team at the CATS terminal on Teesside partnered with Children Challenging Industry (CCI) to develop and deliver an educational programme designed to challenge negative perceptions about engineering and heavy industry.
CCI is run by former primary school teachers who have a background and interest in STEM subjects, and a positive view of industry which they work hard to promote in the classroom.
The programme took a class of year six pupils from a local primary school through a range of classroom-based teaching of STEM-related topics, followed by a visit to the CATS terminal during which the children, supported by the CATS team, carried out a number of engineering experiments which brought the classroom lessons to life on an industrial scale.
Kellas 2022 ESG Report
Read our 2022 ESG report which highlights how we are investing in our people and striving to make a positive impact in our local communities through education and charitable support.
