On April 2, 2024, at the Syntagma Metro Station, a press conference was held to wrap up this very successful collaboration between STASY S.A. and the non-profit organization "A Promise to Animals."
For seven months, from September 2023 to March 2024, the photography exhibition "HIDDEN," based on the book by award-winning photojournalist Jo-Anne McArthur and her colleagues, was hosted at six different Metro stations.
The exhibition depicted scenes from the daily lives of animals who are tormented, suffer, and ultimately are killed by brutal methods at the hands of humans, whether due to industrial farming processes, cultural norms and customs, or in the name of science or entertainment.
At the event, key attendees included Mr. Haris Damaskos, the Chairman of the Board of STASY S.A.; Ms. Katerina Bouki, the Director of Corporate Communications and Passenger Experience; Ms. Erietta Kourkoulou-Latsis, Founder and President of "A Promise to Animals"; and Ms. Olga Kikou, the General Director of the organization. Among the guests were several journalists and executives from the two organizations.
The purpose of this initiative was to link animal protection with human ethics and social welfare. Specifically, the exhibition served an informative and educational role, raising public awareness, promoting empathy, exerting indirect pressure that could lead to changes in legislation with the introduction of stricter laws, and leading to a more ethical stance towards animals.
All these activities are part of the broader actions included in the Corporate Social Responsibility sector of STASY S.A., which, recognizing its responsibility towards society, citizens, and the environment, consistently supports the work of recognized social entities and organizations, aiming to highlight and address social issues.
As Mr. Damaskos stated, "STASY and its transportation modes (3 metro lines & the tram) move almost a million passengers daily, who interact with our advertising media. It is, therefore, reasonable that we feel a full sense of responsibility for the social messages we choose to spread, but also for the responsibility of the organizations and bodies we collaborate with. The actions of the Corporate Social Responsibility Department have expanded significantly in recent years because we deeply believe that spreading the right social messages and actions that aim at improving the lives of our employees, and promoting values and ideals are part of the job we have been assigned to do. We are here today to reaffirm our cooperation with the NGO ‘A Promise to Animals’ and to make our own promise that we will support the efforts they make and be ready to assist again whenever needed. And of course, to declare that we fully adopt the message that respect for animals is the backdrop for respect for human life."
Ms. Bouki emphasized that "At STASY, we connect sustainable lifestyle with sustainable urban mobility. For us, one presupposes the other, and that is what we work for. Establishing a common understanding of a more sustainable way of life in all its aspects is achieved through synergies. Together, we can contribute to the effort of sensitization and awakening that will lead to a change in mentality and will make our society more resilient and functional."
Ms. Kourkoulou-Latsis said among other things, "Paul McCartney once said a phrase that I hold dear, that if slaughterhouses had glass walls, we would all be vegetarians. Glass walls do not yet exist, but we do. And since we exist, it is our duty to act as glass walls for the animals that are hidden, and we promise that we will do this at every opportunity." Ms. Kikou mentioned both the situation in Greece regarding productive animals and the revision of the legislative framework in Europe regarding them.
"HIDDEN" photography exhibition sends a message: the abuse and sadism captured through harsh images can have other implications if we accept them so readily, and the mentality changes only through information. Empathy and animal welfare must become guides in our daily lives. In conclusion, informing about animal abuse is not just an act of corporate social responsibility, but a fundamental action to promote change towards a better world for all.