Giving Back

Videndum donates and lends professional photographic, TV and cinematic equipment to educational institutions worldwide to upskill future industry talent. In Costa Rica, our Production Solutions’ employees work with different technical schools in the community, onboarding eight to ten students each year to complete their professional practice of Precision Mechanics. Some of the schools we have worked with include COVAO, Ciudad de Los Niños and CTP Fernando Volio. Once with us, we train the students in specialised machinery and often offer jobs following their training. We have an ongoing apprenticeship programme for employees at the Production Solutions’ UK site in various fields, including Engineering, Business Analysis and Human Resources. The programme is fully funded through our apprenticeship levy fund, with four apprentices hired.

Media Solution’s CSR programme Creativity for Life (“CFL”) is an expression of the positive impact we aim to bring to society and the environment of the countries in which we operate. CFL offers access to our skills, products, and the vast community of content creators who currently champion our brands around the world. The programme includes several social and environmental education initiatives aimed at empowering young people with positive values, professional skills and knowledge on how to minimise their impact on the environment. In 2023, the team worked with five organisations on a range of projects, and a total of 75 people were positively impacted. 

The collaboration between Videndum, the non-profit organisation the Jonathan Association and the Italian Justice Ministry started in 2014. Videndum supports the project by donating photographic equipment to equip participants with all they need for the programme and organising the course. In 2023, Media Solutions worked with Associazione Jonathan to support disadvantaged young people, through photography and videography education. As part of the partnership, Media Solutions’ employees volunteered to set up the exhibition. The main subject of the 2023 edition was “The Relationship of Neapolitans with Water”. A theme that allowed participants to work on a fundamental element that characterises the city of Naples and human beings in general. This gave great insights into the importance of water for our survival and water preservation.

Over the last nine years, more than 45 children have been trained in photography, with two former students now employed as professional photographers.

The ISPA, dedicated to highlighting sustainability stories in Italy through the lens of photography, has been Lowepro’s technical partner since 2022. Throughout 2023, Lowepro and Paola Lai, the documentary photographer and brand ambassador, collaborated to highlight the role of Documentary Photography, emphasising themes like Human Impact on the sea. At the end of 2023, Lowepro selected a new winner to join the ranks as a Lowepro ambassador, marking the continued evolution of this collaboration. This collaboration symbolises a shared commitment to sustainability through photography, aligning with ISPA’s mission to raise awareness about environmental, social and governance sustainability.

In 2023, Media Solutions extended its collaboration with Wild Shots Outreach, empowering disadvantaged South African youth through photography and education. Our support focused on young photographers engaged in a project featuring the new Lowepro Pro Trekker 650 backpack, contributing to the ProTrekker campaign. Equipped with tools and a creative brief, they embarked on a transformative journey, enhancing skills and kickstarting their portfolios. These photographers played a crucial role in capturing content for the Pro Trekker 650 launch. Leveraging social media, Lowepro provided a platform for them to showcase their work, increasing visibility and inspiring a larger audience.

In 2023, WSO organised 26 photography/ conservation courses, engaging 226 participants. The bursary fund supported 26 unemployed individuals, covering driving lessons, university study and more. Currently, 22 of them are in fulltime employment or study, with three contributing to part-time roles. The ongoing collaboration between Media Solution and WSO continues to make a meaningful difference in the lives of these young individuals, amplifying their impact through visual storytelling and social media visibility.

In 2023, Creative Solutions supported the organisation Made In Her Image by hosting educational workshops at our Burbank, US site. We are looking to formalise our engagement with Made In Her Image by hosting quarterly workshops and providing Creative Solutions Los Angeles’ Studio for the organisation’s documentary development. To help raise money for the organisation, Creative Solutions will be launching a Giving Tuesday campaign. In addition, Creative Solutions will be donating a product as part of the campaign’s giveaway.

Production Solutions Social Responsibility Team in Shelton, US, partnered with the local chapter of “The Boys and Girls Club of America”. Together, as part of our Action4Good programme, they launched the Movie Makers Club, aimed at preparing young film-makers for future careers. Our employees dedicated over 60 hours to teach film-making skills to children, enabling them to create a threeminute commercial promoting their Boys and Girls Club chapter and its offerings. The sessions covered diverse production aspects, from three-point lighting and tripod balancing to basic camera operation. Despite their young age, they successfully produced a commercial that will feature on the Boys and Girls website. The remarkable outcome led the Boys and Girls Club of Shelton to invite Videndum for further projects next year.

Donating to charitable causes is a core focus of the Group. Our employees give generously with their time and money.

We encourage a culture of active participation in the communities in which we operate, of which there are many examples within this report. Staff worldwide give their time and money to various social programmes in their local communities. Our HR policies allow employees to take time off from work to support social programmes and charities. 

Production Solutions:  Videndum Recycles

Production Solutions’ “Videndum Recycles” is a monthly community initiative at our Cartago, Costa Rica site, where collection centres are set up for employees to bring recyclable materials from their homes or communities. Materials accepted include cardboard, paper, plastics, aluminium, and glass. Nearby suppliers’ employees can also utilise this service. Once the collection day ends, a specialised recycling company collects and responsibly disposes of the waste at no cost. In 2023, we held two “Videndum Recycles” events, encouraging all employees to bring recyclables from home for proper management. Our events serve as an opportunity for employees to contribute to reducing their environmental impact, especially in areas where regular government collections may be lacking

Videndum’s partnership with Richmond Theatre Trust and Ham Youth Group

This year, as part of the Group’s ongoing commitment to supporting the local communities in which we operate, Videndum partnered with the Richmond Theatre Trust and Ham Youth Group to deliver a young film-makers course. Over a four-day period, 26 disadvantaged children aged 10 to 16 from Ham Youth Group worked intensively to create a short media project including a series of adverts, two-hander scenes and a few short stories. Many participants fed back that they thoroughly enjoyed learning about the different roles within the film industry. Many loved being on camera, but even more enjoyed being behind the lens. As part of Videndum’s contribution, each young person was provided with their own mini film-making kit full of our products, so they could continue making films after the project ended. The two films were shown in a special premiere at Richmond Theatre, where friends and family joined the group to see what they had been working on. The group also received a backstage tour of the theatre.