From classrooms to the Estonian Food Bank: Nordea employees are volunteering more than ever

Every Nordea employee can dedicate up to 16 hours per year to volunteering through our Community Engagement initiatives. These activities focus on three key areas: financial skills, entrepreneurship and social belonging. In Estonia, the financial skills education programme was launched last year to help individuals and communities strengthen their financial literacy. 

“The students were highly engaged and asked lots of questions. Together we explored topics such as what an economy is, monthly expenses, budgeting and saving money. Some already had an understanding of budgeting and investments, and a few had even earned their first income. We built on their knowledge to inspire them to become financially savvy adults,” says Kersti Alliksaar, who was also involved in creating the training materials.

She adds: “After teaching a lesson at school, I always feel energised and in a positive mood. It’s rewarding to contribute to society by helping children gain financial knowledge, so I’m planning to do it again next year.”

Distributing food to families in need

The Estonian Food Bank  is another key initiative where employees can dedicate their voluntary hours. Sandra Ilves, a consultant in workplace management, has volunteered there several times, helping to pack and organise incoming donations together with her colleagues.

“It’s quite physical – almost like a workout. You’re bending down a lot, lifting boxes and packing various items into smaller bags, such as porridge, rice, bread and other donated goods. Later in the evening, another team distributes these bags to the people who applied for food,” says Sandra Ilves.

Last year, the Estonian Food Bank distributed 4.4 million kilos of food through 16 local food banks and over 270 partner charitable organisations across the country. The need for food is enormous due to soaring prices, and today around 17,500 people receive a weekly food delivery.

“It really puts everything into perspective when you’re there and contributing. In just a few hours, you realise you’re making a real difference for many people. Food is essential for life, so I’m glad Nordea prioritises this initiative and gives us the chance to help make life a little easier for those in need.”