Audi 2007 Annual Report Download - page 23

community initiatives at the German loca-
tions. Each year, in addition, the Company
tops up the employees’ contributions.
As a company with a worldwide pres-
ence, Audi believes it has a global re-
sponsibility, such as when it comes to
encouraging cooperation between non-
disabled people and the mentally handi-
capped. This is the aim of “Best Bud-
dies,” an initiative founded in 1989 by
Anthony Kennedy Shriver. The founda-
tion regularly organizes meetings and
events for the disabled, to better inte-
grate them into society. The founda-
tion’s conviction is that a mental handi-
cap should not be a stigma.
Since 2007, Audi has been the main
sponsor of Best Buddies in the USA.
“We took a close look at what they
were doing, and we were very favorably
impressed by the personal commitment
of the Kennedy-Shriver family and that
of the Governor of California, Arnold
Schwarzenegger,” says Matthias Braun,
responsible at Audi for the American
markets.
China, like the USA, is one of Audi’s
largest export markets. There, the brand
is the market leader in the premium seg-
ment. The management of Audi China
believe that success brings responsibil-
ity, hence “Driving Dreams,” a program
launched with a partner. The aim of
“Driving Dreams” is to improve educa-
tional opportunities for disadvantaged
young people in remote areas of West-
ern China. In many villages there, train-
ing centers have been built where young
people can later come back to obtain
school-leaving qualifications.
Audi is also very well placed in the
premium segment in Spain. In 2000,
Audi España launched the project
“Attitudes.” To date, over 30,000
schoolchildren throughout Spain have
attended the road safety and environ-
mental classes offered as part of Atti-
tudes. The program brings together
theory and practice, involving classroom
discussions, lessons on the computer
but most importantly on bikes and
electric go-karts, so children can have
fun while effortlessly learning how to
maneuver safely through traffic. Atti-
tudes also offers a learning package so
that teachers and children can continue
the program after the classes.
“There are many more examples of
Audi’s commitment to corporate re-
sponsibility, for example through
fundraising events,” says Rupert Stadler.
“As a business, we are part of society
and we want to play a positive role in
shaping people’s lives. Even in India,
where we have just started production,
we have interesting initiatives for young
people in the pipeline. For us, this is a
way of making a contribution toward
improving equal opportunities at our
site in Aurangabad.” •
Good friends: Former star sprinter Carl Lewis supports the Kennedy foundation “Best Buddies,” here with board member Katie Meade.
Photos: charly kurz/lookatonline, AUDI AG (2)
“As a business, we
are part of society,
and we want to play
a positive role.”
Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the
Board of Management of AUDI AG