Investment in the Community

At Doral, we believe that a successful business is one that contributes, cares, and actively participates in social causes. This area is managed by the Company’s Corporate Responsibility (ESG) Manager, who is responsible for maintaining relationships with social organizations and charities. Doral’s positive impact on the community are based on two main pillars: socio-economic development of the areas where we operate and community contribution and investment.

The Company has an annual donation cap in Israel, which is the higher of 500,000 ILS or 1% of the Company’s operating profits, according to the most recent annual financial statements, unless otherwise determined by the board of directors. Each donation request is reviewed individually by a dedicated Donations Forum.

In 2023, the Company donated a total of approximately 927.7 thousand ILS to community partners in Israel and the U.S., nearly doubling the amount donated in the previous year. There are no connections between the recipients and the Company, the CEO, any directors, or the controlling shareholders.

Doral advocates for excellence, initiative-taking, and leadership, and actively works to support and promote this culture within its community partnerships. The Group focuses on fostering and nurturing the younger generation in education, society, and sports in our areas of operation.

In the field sports excellence, the Company sponsors the outstanding young fencer Lior Druk from Kibbutz Yakum on her journey to success. Lior Druk, ranked number 1 in the world in her age group, recently won a bronze medal at the European Youth Championship and is preparing for the 2024 Olypmic Games in Paris. In addition, Doral supports the “Hapoel Mateh Asher” volleyball club and the “Hapoel Doral Energy Eilat Eilot” handball team.

For about three years, Doral has supported the robotics team #3339 BumbleB from the Ish-Shalom School in Kfar Yona. The team participates in the annual FIRST competition, aimed at promoting engagement in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). Alongside its engineering and competitive activities, the robotics team works to disseminate and make science and technology accessible to diverse populations within Israeli society. During the 2022 season, just a week before the competition season began, the team’s construction, including all their equipment, machines, computers, and awards accumulated over 11 years, was destroyed in a fire. With the help of Doral’s donation and other contributions, some of the equipment was renewed, leading to a successful season that ended with unprecedented achievements, including first place in the preliminary round of the world championship.

This year, the team decided to focus on two main directions:

(1) In community engagement, the team approached the ALUT organization (Israel’s Society for Autistic Children) and together launched an initiative to make FIRST organization materials accessible to individuals on the autism spectrum. The activities included translating and editing instructional materials, training ALUT instructors, actively participating in summer camps, and assisting regular instructors in their work with the target audience. The activity was very successful, receiving excellent feedback, and many entities in the field are now considering collaboration with the team. The team intends to explore expanding this activity beyond Israel.

(2) Regarding robotics, the team decided to focus on the principle of simplicity and prove to themselves that a simple robot could achieve high results. The team successfully built one of the simplest robots since its establishment and won first place in two preliminary competitions, as well as the title of National Champion (in an alliance with teams from Binyamina and Daburiyya). This robot also performed very well in the world championship, being voted by the audience as the 15th best robot in the world and recognized by FIRST’s internet channel commentators as the robot with the best shooting system in the world.

During the competitions in Israel, the team won two significant awards demonstrating the breadth and depth of its activities. The Innovation Award was given to the team for advanced control capabilities in the robot and the sophisticated software that enabled it to operate at a high level of autonomy. The Engineering Inspiration Award was awarded to the team for its community activities and the scope and depth of spreading science and technology among various communities.

The Company supports the Jordan River Village and funds the “Heroes’ Journey” – an experiential holiday journey for children coping with chronic and life-threatening illnesses. The Jordan River Village is located in the lower Galilee in Givat Avni and offers children an empowering physical and mental experience during their stay, fostering a sense of capability and allowing the participants discover their inherent strengths.

The “Special in Uniform” program, facilitated by the “Lend a Hand to the Special Child” association, is dedicated to promoting the inclusion of children with disabilities in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), fostering inclusion in Israeli society. During the program, the young participants receive an equal opportunity to engage in productive work alongside soldiers, with the IDF providing a protected work environment. This integration greatly benefits the soldiers by breaking down barriers and prejudices, teaching them to accept differences and view everyone as equals.

This is the second year we are supporting the unit. As part of our involvement, meetings are held between our employees and the unit’s soldiers, as well as the “Special in Uniform” band, during tree planting events on Tu Bishvat and other company celebrations. This activity is highly significant for both the employees and the soldiers in the unit.