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Kindness together

#Group News
At Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, our purpose is to « Reinvent Being Together ». In a time when being together has become difficult if not impossible, we are finding new ways to support our communities and sustain social connections through initiatives adapted to the current situation.

Launched in April across all the countries where we operate, the #KindnessTogether campaign aims at connecting with our retailers, partners, and communities, to address these unprecedented challenges, together. Following our Pan-European « Come Together » campaign launched last autumn, #KindnessTogether reflects our Group’s current state-of-mind during the unparalleled situation we are all facing today. Through this campaign, we reach out to everyone, bringing families and friends together online and bring them joy, creativity and fun during lockdown. Our teams are creating relevant, interactive and useful content that meet our consumers’ needs and enable us all to connect and still share memorable experiences.

Our teams and partner organisations are using #KindnessTogether on social media to raise awareness of NGOs and charities that are doing important work in our communities, detailing the ways that these organisations are tackling the crisis. We are also supporting our retailers by highlighting local solidarity initiatives and encouraging our followers to join the collective COVID-19 response.

Our shopping centres have also engaged to thank the first responders and medical professionals who are putting themselves in harm’s way each day, and inspire us to serve our communities by their actions.

The #KindnessTogether initiatives include:

Community actions

Our shopping centres are using #KindnessTogether to support online charity fundraising activities and raise awareness of partner retailers’ actions. In Spain for instance, HEMA is working with a local NGO to deliver goods to hospital and people in need. La Maquinista and Glories are leveraging their social media to spread the word and support the initiative.

Showing support to medical staff and emergency services

In the United Kingdom, the Rainbow Art Challenge and Our Local Heroes campaign at Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City display messages of support for all essential workers that play a key role in keeping our communities functioning and moving. Both shopping centres also turn blue every Thursday evening to celebrate the Clap for NHS.

We are also taking tangible actions to support medical centres and health facilities located near our shopping centres. In the Greater Paris region, Westfield Parly 2 donated iPads as well as fruit baskets to the Hôpital André Mignot. In Madrid, Parquesur worked with the nearby hotel to provide additional beds for the local hospital. In Bratislava, Aupark is supporting the regional crowdfunding initiative #WHOWILLHELPSLOVAKIA aimed at supplying healthcare institutions with masks and other protective equipment.

Entertainment, Wellness and DIY content

We are working with our partner retailers to create and share engaging content around wellness (e.g. Go Sport Coaching at Westfield Forum des Halles in Paris, InFit challenges at Splau and La Maquinista in Spain), DIY activities (e.g. Sostrene Grene workshops at Polygone Riviera in Cagnes-sur-Mer) or how to keep children busy at home (e.g. Bonaire’s Kids Club 2.0 on Instagram).

Several of our shopping centres are also using the social media channels to provide live entertainment (weekly virtual cooking lessons in Poland, movie trivia and “share your quarantine playlist” in Spain, Easter egg hunt in Austria…etc.)