© Habitat for Humanity International
Ioana Totoian, Business Development Manager at wienerberger, started volunteering as part of her professional career.
Meet Ioana Totoian, a dedicated Business Development Manager at wienerberger, whose passion for volunteering has not only transformed communities but also inspired her colleagues to join hands in Habitat for Humanity build events. Together, they work to create brighter futures for people in need of safe and secure places to call home. Since 2012, wienerberger has helped more than 6,368 people and has worked with the most vulnerable families and individuals in need of a decent place.
Ioana Totoian, 44, resides in the city of Sibiu, located in the heart of Romania's Carpathian Mountains. She has been with wienerberger for over 9 years. “My role as a Business Development Manager focuses on ESG aspects—biodiversity, social impact, and governance, aligning with EU directives,” she reflects, noting how her professional background naturally led her to dedicate her time to a better cause.
Ioana's journey into volunteering began over a decade ago when wienerberger started supporting Habitat for Humanity through donations. "Initially, volunteering wasn't commonplace in Romania, especially growing up in the '80s. My volunteering education began with Habitat, a cause I deeply cherish and promote up until today," she recalls.
Describing her initial volunteering experience with Habitat, Ioana remembers vividly, "In 2017, I joined a Habitat volunteering build event for the first time. It was taking place in Vaideeni, Romania, where we were constructing three large houses in only a few days. Witnessing the organized chaos of volunteers—over 400 in number—was awe-inspiring. It showed me the power of coordinated efforts in ensuring safe and efficient construction work.”
Since then, Ioana has joined 7 volunteer build events and helped build approximately 12 houses. She has engaged in tasks ranging from laying bricks and mixing mortar to framing walls and installing roofing materials.
From a Habitat volunteer, Ioana has become a volunteer coordinator and managed to secure volunteering experience for almost a hundred of her wienerberger colleagues.
"Volunteering for Habitat isn't just about building homes for people in need of safe and decent place to live; it's also about fostering teamwork across departments. It bridges gaps between colleagues who may not interact daily. It's refreshing to see our team's spirit flourish outside office walls," Ioana emphasizes.
Through hands-on activities like roofing and wall construction using wienerberger materials, too, volunteers not only contribute to building homes but also gain a firsthand appreciation for the products they promote. “This practical interaction with our wienerberger roofing components fosters a deeper understanding beyond what's seen in catalogs or presentations,” she highlights.
Ioana also mentioned that during the build events, friendly competitions among colleagues were common, especially during roof installations. When their team split into two groups to work on separate houses, each group aimed to set records by completing the roofing faster and more efficiently. "The competitive spirit among the groups and the fun we had are the memories that stick with us after a day full of work," she noted.
Beyond Habitat, Ioana is actively involved in projects supporting children's education and marginalized communities. "These initiatives align with my personal values and wienerberger's commitment to social responsibility," she says.
"Why do I volunteer?" Ioana muses. "It's about contributing with heart and conviction. Seeing tangible results—like completing a house in a few days—and knowing you've made a difference is invaluable. Volunteering taught me the power of personal example and collective action, inspiring others and spreading positivity.”
Ioana concludes, "What makes Habitat unique is its ability to unite people—colleagues, families, and volunteers—in a shared mission. Teamwork, pride, and a sense of accomplishment are what make the difference. Each volunteer experience reinforces the belief that what we do matters."
Ioana's journey exemplifies how volunteering with Habitat provides wienerberger employees with a unique opportunity to make a tangible difference while reinforcing their commitment to community and product excellence.
In Romania, the local branch of Habitat for Humanity builds decent homes for and with low-income families, while also rehabilitating public utility centers in vulnerable communities.
Accelerated building and volunteering events bring together international and local volunteers from companies or individuals to construct multiple homes in just a few days.
Over the past 28 years, Habitat for Humanity Romania has helped over 100,000 Romanians to have a welcoming home and has built or rehabilitated 5,100 homes. To find out more, visit habitat.org.
wienerberger has partnered with Habitat for Humanity since 2012 helping those in need to improve their living conditions by providing products, financial support, professional expertise, and sending employees as volunteers on building sites.
Since then, wienerberger has extended the partnership for the fourth time to support Habitat’s home reconstructions and residential and non-residential repairs projects in Bulgaria, Great Britain, Hungary, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and the United States. wienerberger also has engaged in Habitat’s advocacy efforts to increase awareness of housing problems and advocate for better policies in Central and Eastern Europe.
Throughout the years our partnership has broadened its commitment through inclusion of its solution brands Tondach and Pipelife for roof and pipe products.
The latest partnership calls for wienerberger to construct or renovate more than 300 homes and help many more people through influencing housing policies in the region.
