Regional Post met with Mariam Chakaryan, the Deputy Director for Internal and External Relations at Dalma Garden Mall, to discuss the responsible business approaches fostered by the mall and its recent CSR projects.
Text : Nazareth Seferian
Photo : Dalma Garden Mall
“Women Create” panel discussion at Dalma Garden Mall on April 7th “Women Create” market at Dalma Garden Mall on April 7th
Over a decade ago, Dalma Garden Mall opened its doors to shoppers in Yerevan, providing an unprecedented experience in the country. While other large malls have since emerged in the capital, Dalma Garden Mall continues to lead the way in various aspects, including responsible business practices.
In the past, Dalma Garden Mall occasionally contributed to different corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects across the country, such as the tree planting project in Koghb and supporting children from borderline villages. However, in its 2022 strategy, the mall made CSR a core part of its direction.
From Left, Cybersecurity and blogger Samvel Martirosyan, the Deputy Director for Internal and External Relations at Dalma
Garden Mall Mariam Chakaryan, and HFC Armenia’s founding director Armen Armos Martirosyan
“We transformed the shopping culture years ago, and now we’re taking significant steps to make our customers more responsible consumers,” explains Mariam Chakaryan, Deputy Director for Internal and External Relations at Dalma Garden Mall. As a space where customers, individuals, couples, or families, spend several hours per visit, the company sees ample opportunity to raise awareness about important issues.
In Spring 2022, the mall organized a campaign with various activities for people, including riding stationary bikes in the Mall, generating electricity from the movement of the pedals. This energy was stored in batteries and used to support schools in borderline villages of Armenia. It was a practical demonstration of how customers can help children living near the border and make their shopping experience more meaningful. This campaign was a collaborative effort with Ameria Bank and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and also aimed to raise awareness about clean energy sources and environmental protection.
Bicycles generating electric energy within the “Connect to Earth” campaign
Dalma Garden Mall took a different approach during its tenth anniversary in the autumn of 2022. Instead of hosting a big commercial event or concert, the entire budget allocated for the event was donated to various charitable causes. “At the beginning of the year, we had identified five key areas: children’s development, development of border villages, military personnel, education, and the environment,” shares Mariam. With the additional resources from canceling the celebrations, they aimed to have a more significant impact. Memorandums of cooperation were signed with local and international organizations to support these CSR initiatives.
One such organization is Bari Mama NGO, which supports children with disabilities, particularly those who have been abandoned or ended up in orphanages due to their disabilities. While Dalma had helped the organization for years, the memorandum strengthened their cooperation. Bari Mama fundraises through donation boxes in Dalma Garden Mall twice yearly, collecting money for administrative costs and the Sevan summer camp for their beneficiaries. The funds raised in spring 2023, totaling over 3 million AMD, are being used to provide much-needed physical and speech therapy for the children. Additionally, the mall’s top management visits the camp to share their knowledge and experience with the children on various professional topics.
Furthermore, Dalma and Bari Mama organize visits to the mall for 40 beneficiary children at least twice a year, allowing them to watch movies in Cinema Star, participate in different events, and have a great time at Dalma Garden Mall. Also, this year, instead of sending traditional New Year gifts to corporate partners, Dalma Garden Mall used the funds to provide gifts to over 320 children in the village of Tegh and several communities in Artsakh. Corporate partners received postcards informing them of the gifts made to the children in their name, wishing them a Happy New Year.
Another memorandum of cooperation was signed with the Aznavour Foundation and Zinvori Tun Rehabilitation Center to support the business ideas of the veterans who were injured during the recent war in Artsakh. Four business ideas were funded, each receiving around 3 million AMD.
Since its 10th anniversary, Dalma Garden Mall has been making a monthly donation of 10% of its advertising banner income to ZINAPAH – National Foundation for Servicemen Insurance (formerly 1000+). “Supporting our heroes in their pursuit of sustainable value creation, stable income, and the development of our country is one of our top priorities,” says Mariam Chakaryan.
In the realm of education, Dalma Garden Mall has partnered with the Children of Armenia Fund (COAF). Thanks to the Mall’s support, three students from COAF’s beneficiaries can apply for Dalma’s scholarships every year to study at the top universities in Armenia. The first three students were already awarded scholarships for the first academic year in January 2023. Nine other students will receive them in the upcoming years. “Our support goes beyond financing their tuition fees. We provide mentorship and even offer them the opportunity to gain practical work experience here at Dalma Garden Mall.” These young individuals benefiting from the partnership will come from the regions of Armenia where COAF runs its programs, particularly those focused on marketing, business, accounting, or law. Moreover, staff from Dalma Garden Mall will visit the COAF SMART Center to engage with the children and discuss various topics of mutual interest.
Dalma Garden Mall’s commitment to CSR extends beyond the projects initiated during its 10th anniversary. In 2023, the Mall made donations to various other initiatives, including the Zinvori Tun Rehabilitation Center’s 301 initiative.
The Mall’s upcoming major projects in the second part of 2023 will primarily revolve around environmental protection activities. Dalma Garden Mall plans to install waste classification bins by the end of July. This initiative will enable customers properly separate and dispose of plastics, paper, and other types of waste, ensuring that each material undergoes appropriate processing. This signifies an important transition for the Mall, moving from one-time awareness-raising events to a more consistent approach, engaging customers in responsible shopping. To educate customers and maximize the impact of the installed bins, Dalma will collaborate with Coca-Cola HBC Armenia, Yerevan Municipality, and the European Union.
A part of the heart-shaped artwork made of waste placed on the occasion of Valentine’s Day
Looking ahead, Dalma Garden Mall is already planning a significant CSR initiative scheduled for spring 2024. Anyone can be a part of it and contribute to the cause with a small effort. The Mall will announce the details of this initiative on its social media accounts and website in the near future.
Nemra band’s concert on the opening event of the “Connect to Earth” campaign
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