VW to increase corporate social responsibility funds

Volkswagen plans to invest an additional 50 million yuan ($7.25 million) in China to better support environmental protection, sustainable mobility and social care, as well as to enhance its joint efforts with partners on a socially responsible ecosystem.

During a media workshop for Auto Guangzhou 2016, Volkswagen Group China announced that the company will provide a second injection of 50 million yuan into its corporate social responsibility fund.

With the fresh funding, Volkswagen Group China will embrace a comprehensive upgrade of its CSR strategy. "To remain steadfast in our commitment in the new era of mobility, we will provide strong financial support to existing and future CSR programs," said Jochem Heizmann, member of the board of management of Volkswagen AG and president and CEO of Volkswagen Group China.

"CSR and sustainable development activities are one of the most important parts of our Together - Strategy 2025," Heizmann noted.

The German automaker unveiled its global Together - Strategy 2025 in June, with the vision of becoming a world-leading provider of sustainable mobility.

Volkswagen Group China has been committed to fulfilling its social responsibilities by launching a range of CSR projects in three prioritized areas: environmental protection, sustainable mobility and social care.

Pillar projects include the 1,000 Environmentally Friendly Teacher Ambassadors' Action Program, the Child Safety Initiative and the Youth Football Program.

Yin Jin, head of the CSR department at Volkswagen Group China, said: "Volkswagen Group China's CSR strategy will be more sustainable and integrated in the coming three years to build a better CSR ecosystem."

The company is joining hands with its partners to strengthen and share growth and upgrade its CSR programs, she said.

To establish the Volkswagen Environmental Education Fund, Volkswagen Group China entered a cooperation agreement with the China Environmental Protection Foundation in June this year.

Another project, titled the 1,000 Environmentally Friendly Teacher Ambassadors' Action Program - Sowing for a Green Future, was launched together with the Center for Environmental Education and Communication.

The three-year initiative provides support for 1,000 teachers each year to develop and tailor ecological curricula for hundreds of thousands of students.

"Volkswagen Group China has been deeply rooted in this country for more than 30 years and was devoted to CSR initiatives even before the establishment of the fund," Yin noted.

In the area of sustainable mobility, Volkswagen Group China's Child Safety Initiative has made significant progress. It has thus far set up the Volkswagen Group China Child Safety Fund, donated child safety seats, organized forums and road shows, established child road safety experience centers and produced child road safety promotional videos.

The initiative has been expanded to more than 100 cities across China, reaching out to 3 million people and directly benefiting 100,000 families.

Volkswagen Group Child Road Safety Experience Centers, which have been established in eight cities in China, have received nearly 50,000 visitors.

Volkswagen Group China's youth football program is a strong indicator of the company's sense of social responsibility.

Volkswagen Group China set up the Junior Football Development Fund with the support of the China Football Association, and the automaker launched three major projects: the Volkswagen Junior Football Camp, the Volkswagen Train the Trainer Project and the Volkswagen Junior Football Summer Camp.

In the future, Volkswagen Group China will continue to expand the capabilities of all parties for wider coverage of its programs and their beneficiaries, according to the company.

To better support and improve its CSR programs, Volkswagen Group China established its employee volunteer association in 2014 to mobilize employees as a strong volunteer force.

In October 2016, the Volunteer Committee of Volkswagen Group China was officially established, comprising members from various departments who are responsible for the planning, organizing and coordinating various CSR activities in the company, fostering a vibrant volunteer culture among the workforce. Volkswagen Group China plans to open more experience centers in 13 cities across China by the end of 2017.

Learning from the projects' implementation and differences between regions, Volkswagen Group China will make continuous investments to upgrade existing programs and better meet child road safety needs by customizing training according to specific regional conditions.

Meanwhi le, Volkswagen Group China will work together with industry institutions and policy advisers to promote legislation on child safety seat use.

haoyan@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 11/24/2016 page11)