Jaguar Land Rover builds bridges through football exchange

Having named Jaguar Land Rover China "British Company of the Year" at the recent British Business Awards in Shanghai, the panel of judges made a point of explaining that the prize was not just for progress made by the automaker in 2016, but also in recognition of its achievements and all-round contributions throughout its six-year journey in China.

The rise of the United Kingdom's leading automotive manufacturer in China has gone hand-in-hand with its strong commitment to Chinese society that extends far beyond just selling cars to consumers.

Jaguar Land Rover China is committed to contributing across a wide-range of fronts: from improving lives through impactful corporate social responsibility projects, to enhancing cultural understanding between the peoples of Britain and China.

The company is currently leading a group of 40 Chinese children on the Jaguar China-UK Football and Cultural Exchange, hosted by the Premier League football club, Tottenham Hotspur.

As well as benefiting from an intensive week of training at the North London club's state-of-the-art training center, the children are engaging in cross-cultural exchanges with their British peers.

During a visit to the historic Charterhouse School, the children taught each other about the customs, traditions and values of their own country and played together in a youth football tournament.

"The Jaguar China-UK Football and Cultural Exchange provides a platform for children to learn valuable skills, expand their horizons and forge new friendships with their British counterparts through a mutual love of football," said Richard Shore, acting regional president of Jaguar Land Rover Greater China. "The exchange underscores Jaguar Land Rover China's commitment to creating opportunities for children through our Dream Fund CSR programs and building bridges between the UK and China."

The exchange began with a welcoming ceremony which was attended by executives from key partners, the 40 children, and Ledley King, legendary former captain and club ambassador at Tottenham Hotspur.

"We are excited to be hosting the students at the club for the coming week and I am sure they are looking forward to a series of valuable football and cultural experiences," King said. "I have traveled to China a number of times with Tottenham Hotspur and have witnessed the passion for football; this program provides opportunities to improve the sport in the region using the club's expertise in developing players."

It is the third year in a row that Jaguar Land Rover China has arranged a football and cultural exchange between the UK and China, and follows the September launch of the Jaguar Football Campus Guangzhou, delivered by Tottenham Hotspur. It is a year-long youth football development initiative that is creating opportunities for 60,000 children at schools in Guangdong province's capital.

The company's commitment to youth football derives from Jaguar's proud British sporting heritage and supports the Chinese government's push to develop the sport at a grassroots level.

The sport has been a cornerstone of the Jaguar Land Rover China Children and Youth Dream Fund since the 50 million yuan ($7.4 million) CSR platform was launched in partnership with the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation two and a half years ago.

New Dream Fund programs to come

In addition to deploying a series of football programs under its "sports for all" pillar, the Dream Fund is also creating opportunities and improving life for children and youth through projects of three other pillars: road safety, social care and talent development.

As the three-year Dream Fund enters its last six months, it is closing in on its target of 200,000 beneficiaries.

Jaguar Land Rover China is determined to further develop the Dream Fund and increase its impact by initiating a number of new programs next year.

As well as pressing ahead with the Dream Class program, which is placing volunteer teachers at JLR's Hope School in Zhaotong, Yunnan province, "road safety" is set to become a key pillar of the Dream Fund in 2017 with the opening of the Jaguar Land Rover Road Safety Experience Center in Beijing.

The desire at Jaguar Land Rover China to elevate its social responsibility strategy to a higher plane and make a bigger impact is indicative of the company having taken huge strides since it arrived in this country in 2010.

While being crowned "British Company of the Year" should be celebrated as a rich reward for its accomplishments in China, Jaguar Land Rover China is confident that by remaining ambitious, responsible and socially-conscious it will enjoy many more landmark moments in the years to come, according to the company.

haoyan@chinadaily.com.cn

Hao Yan

(China Daily 11/11/2016 page24)