Kimberly-Clark pledges to boost spending on good causes

Despite the global economic slowdown, household paper products giant Kimberly-Clark China has pledged to increase its investment in corporate social responsibility-related issues by 50 percent this year.

"CSR is an indispensable part of our business strategy, investment in it must increase in line with our business growth here, or even higher," said Stephen Shao, president of Kimberly-Clark China.

Last year, the firm established the Kimberly-Clark Care Fund in China, which facilitates the standardization, systemization and transparency of its charitable activities in the country.

In addition to donations to disadvantaged children and women, and youth development programs, the fund conducted a great deal of work last year to assist victims of the snowstorms early in the year and the May 12 earthquake. This included donations of cash and materials, volunteers' visits and support for the reconstruction of schools and public buildings.

This year, the fund will conduct a series of initiatives focused on children and families, according to Tong Mei, corporate development and strategic projects director of Kimberly-Clark Greater China.

Following its donation of 1 million yuan to the China Children and Teenagers' Fund to assist in the resettlement of youngsters orphaned by the May 12 quake, the fund will send more volunteers to quake-hit areas and will invite professionals to provide post-disaster psychological counseling.

The US-based transnational company, with annual sales of $18 billion and household-name brands including Kleenex, Huggies, Scott, Pull-Ups, and Kotex, has just introduced Depend - its high-end incontinence relief product - to China. Incontinence is a common problem for many elderly people, resulting in great inconvenience to sufferers and their carers.

This year, Kimberly-Clark will go to communities to carry out educational activities to raise people's awareness of the ailment and donate Depend products to low-income senior citizens.

The household paper products manufacturer's turnover in China jumped 52 percent year-on-year in 2008 and is expected to increase by more than 40 percent this year.

The company indicated that, apart from social causes, its CSR investment will be made in environmental protection, resource consumption reduction, and care for employees.

(China Daily 02/23/2009 page10)