Hungarian Forest Rescue foundation – an interview with Viktoria Orszagh

Hungarian Forest Rescue foundation – an interview with Viktoria Orszagh

27 Aug 2021

Tell us about your experience on a graduate programme with Diageo?

I joined the Budapest Graduate Program in 2019, and it has been an exciting journey so far. I’ve had the chance to meet amazing colleagues both in person and virtually and have learnt a lot about the company and myself too. I greatly enjoyed having the chance to participate in meetings with leaders from various teams and cooperating with the hard-working team I was in. My program has just come to its end, and I am in the transition to move to the Northern Europe team in Hamburg as Commercial Finance analyst.

How would you describe your role at Diageo and what’s the most exciting thing you love about it?

This past year I was working in Global Travel as Financial Controlling analyst; this involved supporting marketing and commercial colleagues with their month-end activities and supporting on other projects. I absolutely loved being part of an international team. Global Travel has been heavily impacted by COVID-19, and seeing the efforts put into the recovery of Global Travel by every single colleague, no matter the location or the challenges, was truly inspiring.  I am currently in transition to relocate to Hamburg, and to join the Northern Europe team as Commercial Finance analyst. It is an exciting area of the business, and I am looking forward learning in the market and for the challenges and opportunities coming along.

Diageo Budapest is supporting the Hungarian Forest Rescue foundation by funding the plantation of 1400 new trees in Hungary. Tell us what this initiative involves and why Diageo are committed?

Diageo is committed to the achievement of our sustainable development goals, and the group members in Budapest have been thinking about how to take action in regard to Diageo’s sustainability action plan, Society 2030: Spirit of Progress.

These trees planted are dedicated to each one of Diageo Budapest’s 1,400 employees, symbolising the company’s aim of contributing to a better future.

In one year, the mature trees will absorb more than 3.5 wagons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release oxygen in exchange. From another perspective, throughout their lives, the 1400 trees will absorb the amount of carbon dioxide that is equivalent to 875,000 cars emissions on 1000 km.

What has been your involvement in this campaign and why does this matter to you?

I recently took over the lead of the Helping Hands Employee Relations Group (ERG) at Diageo, and we partnered up with Diageo’s Green IQ ERG for a program called “Conscious March”, promoting achievable steps for a more environment conscious lifestyle. We wrote with the team awareness raising articles for Yammer regarding the recycling circle –Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rot - and provided with an extensive list of charity shops to donate to. The aim was to encourage our colleagues to do the big spring wardrobe cleaning and shopping in a more conscious way. The idea then came to reward the efforts of the employees by planting trees afterwards.

The contact with the Hungarian Forest Rescue foundation had been in place already, so I reached out them, and we started the discussions around this idea. This final number of trees and the social media communication was the outcome of the kind support of the Budapest Communities and Corporate Relations teams who helped to bring this to life and showcase what we had achieved on social media.

I still cannot believe we just planted 1,400 trees and I have received so many positive messages from colleagues. I feel truly happy both personally and professionally being part of a company where you can make such ideas happen. I would say it encouraged me further that no matter how little the step may seem, and in which position you are in, it is worth taking actions and bringing such initiatives to the table.

Share your top tips for those looking to get into a Graduate role.

I could say, that in my experience companies are looking for curiosity, ambition, and self-awareness when it comes to hiring for graduate programs. I think if someone would still like to learn and develop themselves after graduating, loves challenging and fun assessment tests and they have interest for the field they are applying for, possibly spiced up with leadership ambition, they should not hesitate to apply!

Diageo has many former graduates in leadership roles, prove this is a great place to start!

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