BBJ: Bridgestone Tatabánya has long been known for its active role in the local community. What does corporate social responsibility mean to you in practice?
Melinda Topolcsik: For us, CSR isn’t an add-on or a PR exercise, it’s a fundamental part of who we are as a company. We believe a business can only thrive if the community around it does too. Sustainability, community engagement, and respect for human dignity are embedded in our daily decisions, from how we operate our plant to how we support our people.
BBJ: Many companies today talk about sustainability, but few manage to give it real substance. How does this commitment take shape at Bridgestone Tatabánya?
MT: Environmental responsibility is not a topic we just communicate about; it’s something we act on. Since March 2020, our plant has been covering its entire electricity demand from 100% renewable energy sources. A lot of our colleagues are also devoted volunteers. They take part in various nature protection projects; for example, in 2024 and 2025 they planted more than 2,000 perennial plants in Tatabánya and helped clean up surrounding areas. We’re also proud to have contributed to protecting the habitat of the Hungarian hogweed, a highly protected native species. These activities don’t just protect nature, they also strengthen our internal community spirit.
For us, responsibility also means stepping up when immediate help is needed. During last autumn’s severe flooding along the Danube, our volunteers were among the first to join local disaster management teams. They filled and carried sandbags to reinforce flood barriers and worked side by side with the authorities. Those were truly defining moments, when you feel what “community” really means.
BBJ: Beyond environmental and emergency efforts, you also emphasize helping people directly. What kind of initiatives do you run for that?
MT: Every Christmas, our colleagues organize a donation drive for local families in need. They collect food, clothing, blankets, and toys, which we deliver with the help of the Hungarian Maltese Charity Service. Over time, this has become a beloved tradition, and this year we’re expanding it with a campaign called “Love in Motion”, where we’ll be reaching out to residents in Tatabánya and Környe as well, encouraging them to join in giving.
BBJ: Employee involvement seems to be at the heart of your CSR work. How do you encourage such active participation?
MT: This spring, we launched the BSHM CSR Donation Program, a new internal grant system where employees can submit proposals to support causes, they care about. The ten-member CSR Committee evaluates the projects based on a five-point scale, and the best ones receive financial backing from the company.
This year, the selected initiatives reflected the diversity of our colleagues’ interests and values: supporting local sports clubs, cultural and artistic projects, health-related initiatives, and even a kindergarten’s effort to create a more inspiring and eco-friendly environment for children.
It’s a way to make CSR more personal and participatory. It’s not something imposed from the top, but something we build together.
BBJ: Bridgestone also seems to focus strongly on health awareness. How does that fit into your broader vision of responsibility?
MT: Health is a core pillar of our CSR approach. Every October and November, we organize internal screenings for breast and prostate cancer, but we also join local community events such as the “Walk for Your Life” initiative by the Érted Association. This year marked our fourth participation, and I had the honor of serving as the event’s patron. Seeing so many people walk together with pink balloons for women’s health is always an emotional reminder of the power of solidarity.
BBJ: Finally, if you had to summarize Bridgestone Tatabánya’s CSR philosophy in one sentence, what would it be?
MT: Bridgestone Tatabánya’s CSR philosophy is that responsibility isn’t a temporary campaign, but an ongoing mindset embedded in everyday behavior. When individuals consistently contribute — even in small ways — to their communities, their environment, and to one another, those actions collectively create meaningful and lasting change.
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