Mercedes 2006 Annual Report Download - page 124

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Social Responsibility
Worldwide social commitment supported by Board of Management and workforce | Utilizing core
competencies for society | Ongoing dialogue with policymakers, the business community and society |
Focus on improved transatlantic relations and enhanced traffic safety for children
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DaimlerChrysler as a global citizen. DaimlerChrysler is not only
a leading global vehicle manufacturer, but also an important
participant in society in general. We therefore have a social com-
mitment to all the communities in which we operate. Our eco-
nomic success allows us to promote the arts and culture, as well
as to provide financial support to society not only in times of
crisis. This involvement is based on our commitment to interna-
tional initiatives such as the United Nations’ “Global Compact”,
from which we have derived internal guidelines for our daily
activities.
Intensified transatlantic dialogue. With roots in Baden-
Württemberg and Michigan, we are the world’s largest transatlantic
corporation, and are therefore proud of the contribution we make
towards promoting transatlantic communication. One platform
for the improvement of this dialogue is the “Brussels Forum”, an
event organized annually by the German Marshall Fund.
DaimlerChrysler was the first corporate sponsor of this important
annual event.
Help your neighbor. The DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund and
the Group’s US employees make a positive contribution to social
stability in the United States through our “Good Neighbors,
Good Citizens®” program. The Fund was started in 1953. Daimler-
Chrysler employees play an active role on a day-to-day basis in
the communities where they live and work. In 2006 for example, in
Detroit, more than 150 volunteers from DaimlerChrysler facilities
and the metro Detroit community built a new place to play for
the children who visit the People Community Service’s Delray
Neighborhood House in Southwest Detroit. Volunteers worked to
construct a 150 ft. x 150 ft. playscape on the grounds of the
community center, which serves more than 8,000 children each
year. We also supported projects in South Africa, Northern
Ireland and the Middle East with the initiative “Playing for Peace”.
Through this program, the sport of basketball is used as a
vehicle for overcoming social tension.
DaimlerChrysler Financial Services builds on its core business
competencies as an automotive finance company to make
a positive difference in its communities. For example, Chrysler
Financial helps urban youth to help themselves with its “Get
Your Money Right” program. It also provides financial support for
educational and cultural activities and non-profit organizations.
In cooperation with the “Entrepreneurs’ Organization”, Mercedes-
Benz Financial supports young people starting their own companies
by sponsoring seminars on business administration and
management practices. Personal employee community involvement
is also widespread in Germany, where our employees volunteer
their time and skills to benefit charitable causes. In addition, since
2003 DaimlerChrysler Bank has been a sponsor of the “People for
People” development-aid organization, which focuses on education
and training.
Our partnership with the International Olympic Committee (IOC),
now in its fifteenth year, is active worldwide. This partnership is
working on improving opportunities in life for the younger genera-
tion. Within the framework of the “Olympic Solidarity” aid fund,
sports fields and training centers have been built in Africa and Asia.
And for the mobility of next-generation athletes, so far approxi-
mately 100 national Olympic committees have been provided with
minibuses, mainly Mercedes-Benz Sprinters.
Training gives young people a vital opportunity. Daimler-
Chrysler is actively involved in providing young people with
encouragement, education and training courses to enable them
to acquire professional skills and qualifications. We aim to
offer young people good prospects for the future, thus promoting
the stability of society in general. DaimlerChrysler makes a
valuable contribution to achieving these goals in many countries
of the world through its global network of training centers, the
“DaimlerChrysler Automotive Academy”. We took the first step
towards realizing this concept in Ulan Bator (Mongolia) in 1999.
Since then, we have opened additional training centers in Kabul
(Afghanistan), Perm (Russia), Kuwait and Beit Sahour (Palestine).
At present, the “DaimlerChrysler Financial Services Automotive
Academy” is starting operations in South Africa.