Janssen ‘s Award winning “Message in a bottle” initiative
Janssen Supply Chain Ireland’s ‘Message in a Bottle’ initiative, in partnership with the Carrigaline & District Lions Club, has won this year’s ‘Multi-national Community Programme – Excellence in the Community’ Award at the annual Chambers Ireland CSR Awards in Dublin.
‘Message in a Bottle’ is a unique initiative which can be used by people of all ages but is particularly effective in protecting and safeguarding older or vulnerable people who may be in poor health or, perhaps, those living alone. The programme encourages people to retain important medical details in a bottle in their refrigerator, thereby enabling timely and accurate medical intervention by ambulance and other emergency services personnel called in to respond to an accident or medical incident in the home.
The scheme is already operating very successfully in other parts of the country and is fully supported by the Gardai and all the emergency services. Crucially, ‘Message in a Bottle’ is a practical initiative which simply involves completing a form with personal and medical information on it. The bottle also contains three green stickers, two of which should be placed on the inside of a front and back door. A third sticker should be placed on the outside of the refrigerator to indicate that the bottle is located inside.
Kyran Johnson, General Manager, Janssen Supply Chain Ireland, paid tribute to his staff who enthusiastically supported the initiative and to the Carrigaline & District Lions Club whose commitment to the project ensured the success of the initiative. “As a company, our Credo and values challenge us to keep the needs and well-being of people living in our communities front of mind. In practical terms, this means we have a responsibility to the communities in which we live and work. Supporting community charities and initiatives is a cornerstone of our value system and we work hard to maintain a reputation for building and maintaining long-standing relationships within our local communities”, said Mr. Johnson.
“Historically, we have had an excellent working relationship with the Carrigaline & District Lions Club, so this particular partnership was a natural choice for us. I’m proud to say that our staff were instrumental in ensuring the successful roll out of this programme and I’m absolutely delighted that their efforts have been recognised this year by Chambers Ireland”, concluded Mr. Johnson.
Brian Thoma, President of Carrigaline & District Lions Club, expressed his delight with the win and paid tribute to the successful roll out of the initiative: “Simply put, ‘Message in a Bottle’ will save lives in our community here in Carrigaline. I would like to take this opportunity to pass on heartfelt thanks to the team at Janssen for supporting this initiative and I’m delighted the programme has been recognised at this year’s Chambers Ireland CSR Awards”, said Mr. Thoma.
“From our discussions with emergency personnel, we know that time is critical when dealing with medical emergencies. The ‘Message in a Bottle’ initiative will allow paramedic and ambulance personnel to access patient information quickly and efficiently when called to the scene of an incident, thereby helping to save lives in our local community. The bottles can be used by people of all ages, including older or vulnerable members of the community, those who live alone or, indeed, can be carried by sports people in their sports bags”, concluded Mr. Thoma.
All of the emergency services fully support the free ‘Message in a Bottle’ service being provided by Janssen and the Carrigaline & District Lions Club, ensuring they will have immediate access to vital medical information when called upon to assist vulnerable poeople living in the community.
‘Message in a Bottle’ containers are available free of charge in a variety of locations throughout Carrigaline, including the Carrigaline & District Lions Club, local pharmacies, medical centres, GP surgeries and nursing homes. The scheme is specifically targeted to assist older members of the community, those living alone or people suffering from potentially life threatening conditions or allergies. However, the initiative is open to anyone in the community who feels they could benefit from it.
About Janssen Supply Chain Ireland’s CSR Programme
As part of the worldwide Johnson & Johnson group of companies, Janssen Supply Chain Ireland remains faithful to the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility ethos which clearly states – ‘we are caring for the world, one person at a time’. The ‘Message in a Bottle’ initiative encapsulates the company’s corporate ethos perfectly by combining the caring aspect of its core values with providing care in the communities in which their staff live and work.
