Corporate Social Responsibility

As a company, Daimler aims to behave as a "proactive citizen," using our skills to benefit society worldwide. Only businesses that succeed in cultivating the high opinion and esteem of the non-corporate world, also continue to succeed in the marketplace. As an international company, we are committed to be good citizens and good neighbors in all the communities in which we operate.

Daimler is represented on every continent on Earth. The success of our products and services is built upon the commitment of more than 330,000 individuals around the globe. We associate ourselves with various cultural, educational, environmental and scientific, arts or sporting programs that benefit the societies in which we operate. Daimler' s involvement as a global corporate citizen takes many forms, and ranges from small to large-scale projects. We work with recognized organizations such as UNICEF, UNESCO, The World Wildlife Fund for Nature, and various government entities and institutions with the same goal in mind – to make the world a better place.

Here in China, as a co-founder of the China Charity Federation (CCF), Daimler has been actively participating in charitable and social activities since the early 1980’s when our chief representative at that time made donations to orphans, those in poverty and the elderly. In cooperation with CCF, Daimler has also supported children with cleft palettes, a disfiguring birth defect.

In 1998, when China suffered its biggest flooding disaster ever recorded, through CCF, we committed 3 Million DM for relief funds, all of which were used to successfully rebuild several villages in the hardest hit provinces.

Another worthy CCF project is the Children’s Village in Shunyi near Beijing, which was established a few years ago. This Village is the home of children whose parents are serving prison time and have no other means of support. Daimler has always been made financial pledge to support the running of the Village.

In conjunction with UNESCO, Mercedes-Benz China has funded the building of a new classroom at the Wolong “Sleeping Dragon” primary school located in Fang Shan County, southwest of Beijing, with further donations going toward tuition and scholarships for the children to continue their studies.

Another UNESCO school project is the unique and successful Pengcheng School in Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province where we are covering the annual tuition fees for over 50 students. The school was established for severely mentally handicapped children who have no other means of an education. The facility aims to train the students, so they can eventually function on their own and find work after they graduate.

In mid May, 2000, we also support the Special Olympics. DaimlerChrysler was the Presenting Sponsor for China’s first ever fund-raising event for Special Olympics in support of the thousands of disabled Chinese people. Young and old are encouraged to join Special Olympics to find new strength within themselves.

Daimler is also a founding member of the Laureus Awards, which held it’s first program in China earlier this year in conjunction with Special Olympics – and together with some of the world’s most famous Olympic Gold medallists who gave freely of their time and encouragement to the children.

In November 2000, on a smaller note, DaimlerChrysler and Beijing Jeep Corporation, donated a specially equipped Beijing Jeep Cherokee to the Qinghai Province Huangnan Autonomous Region Monastery Schools so that teachers and doctors can visit the nomadic minorities living in virtually inaccessible areas.

In October 2002, we have also donated a Mercedes-Benz ambulance to the Beijing Emergency Medical Center for their rescue work around the capital.

As the battle waged by the Chinese people to eliminate SARS in the country enters its critical stage in May 2003, DaimlerChrysler extended its warm hand of support and presented a donation of 80,000 protective gowns made from TYVEK worth US$ 360,000 to medical workers bravely fighting the infectious disease at the frontline in Beijing.

Relationships with Chinese academic institutions have strengthened over the years with frequent exchanges between Daimler and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences - the Chinese government's think-tank. Daimler holds regular exchanges with various academic and scientific institutions as well as with provincial and city governments, and looks forward to continuing frequent dialogue with the aim to enhance meaningful cooperation.

We also support educational programs in China, as Daimler attaches special importance to education and the needs of the world' s youth. Children are the future of every nation.

Our longest-standing involvement with education in China is our on-going relationships with Bei Da and Tsinghua Universities. For the past 10 years, Daimler has funded sponsorships for many talented BeiDa students. From 1994 to 2003, the scholarships have amounted to RMB 2.8 million and 816 students were awarded in total. We encourage these students to be the best they can be, to excel and in turn, give back to society. These scholarships continue, and will be joined soon by a new scholarship and sponsorship program slated to commence at Tsinghua University, where we have held a number of auto design and exchange projects over the years.