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Volkswagen: An excellent corporate citizen in China

By Zhao Bian (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-08-20 09:48

After the establishment of Shanghai Volkswagen in China in 1984, Volkswagen Group China triggered the reform of China's automotive industry. Deeply rooted in China for more than 25 years, Volkswagen Group China, through its persistent endeavors, has been devoted to making its contribution and commitment toward the steady growth of the Chinese auto industry as well as the sustainable development of the country.

As an auto manufacturer, Volkswagen Group China has considered raising the awareness of environmental protection and road safety in China as its responsibilities for the past two decades. The Green Future Environmental Education Initiative and Road Safety TV education program are two of the many projects that Volkswagen Group China has implemented to fulfill its commitment.

Green future

Volkswagen's Green Future Environmental Education Initiative, started in April 2007 in China, is a three-year program on environmental education launched by Volkswagen Group China. The program is expected to encourage students to get involved in learning and discussing environmental issues and raise their awareness and enthusiasm to take part in environmental-protection actions.

Along the wooden plank road paved on the beautiful beach in Qingdao, a "Green Class" was organized for students from the local elementary school. Ingrid Vahland is a teacher from Germany. Working as an environmental protection volunteer, she played various interactive games with the students. "Finding the seagull" was one of them, which aimed to stimulate and enhance their imagination and interests. She has also given lectures on global warming to students from several "green schools" nationwide.

Guo Geng, environmental protection educator and popular science book writer, conducted another interesting game, "Harmful fertilizer", allowing the students to take up different roles in a biological chain to experience the damage that fertilizers can cause.

Both Vahland and Guo gave the students a feel of the nature as well as a deeper understanding of ecological balance and environmental protection. However, they were only two of the many Volkswagen environmental protection ambassadors among an array of Chinese environment protection experts, international environment protection volunteers and Olympic champions who have all devoted themselves to the Green Future program.

An event named "Volkswagen Green Future Olympic Host City" marked the successful start of the second year of implementation for this three-year campaign. From March to May, the Olympic City Tour brought the latest knowledge of environmental protection and the Olympics to the children in the host cities of the Games: Beijing, Tianjin, Qinhuangdao, Shenyang, Shanghai, Qingdao and Hong Kong.

As the most reliable partner of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, Volkswagen Group China will continue to demonstrate the spirit of Green Olympics by promoting the Green Future Environmental Education Initiative program across the country through consistent contribution to environmental protection education of the young, thus making its contribution as an excellent corporate citizen in China.

Volkswagen's efforts in environmental protection have been widely recognized by environmental organizations, experts and the public.

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