US Companies Aid Chinese Earthquake Victims |
WASHINGTON, May 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The US-China Business
Council (USCBC) today encouraged American companies to continue to support
relief efforts under way in China in response to the devastating earthquake
that hit Sichuan Province on May 12.
USCBC member companies have already pledged several million dollars in
cash and in-kind goods and services for aid to earthquake victims and many
have established matching funds for their employees.
"The US-China Business Council (USCBC) has expressed the concerns and
support of the US business community to both to the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs in Beijing and the PRC Embassy in Washington, DC," reported USCBC
President John Frisbie. "We will continue to advise companies on how to
best support the relief effort under way."
The following is a sample list of initial donations by USCBC member
companies. Companies continue to pledge new contributions and expand
existing ones as events unfold. Updates to this list will be posted at
http://uschina.org/public/china/2008/earthquake_relief.html.
American International Group has made an initial pledge of $1 million
to provide immediate recovery assistance through several different
organizations.
Amway made an initial commitment of RMB 2 million ($286,000) to the
Sichuan Red Cross through its Amway China affiliate to aid in recovery
efforts. Half of the donations will be for the Red Cross to use for
immediate disaster relief. The other half is designated for the
reconstruction of a primary school that collapsed in Chengdu City and
killed 50 students. Amway China staff and its top sales representatives in
that province will also gather Amway volunteers to donate blood in the
coming days.
Anheuser-Busch is donating RMB 3.5 million ($500,000) to the Red Cross
Society of China to aid relief efforts for earthquake victims. The company
also will provide more than RMB 7.7 million ($1.1 million) or 425,000 cases
of fresh drinking water to the area.
Applied Materials Applied Materials, through Applied Materials China,
will be making a contribution of RMB 1 million ($143,000) to the Red Cross
Society of China on behalf of the company and its employees.
Bechtel is setting up a matching contribution fund for employee
disaster relief contributions.
The Boeing Company has made an initial contribution of $250,000 to
relief efforts and will match employee donations to the American Red Cross
for disaster assistance on a 1:1 basis.
Cargill along with its businesses and employees have to date provided
approximately RMB 3.3 million (more than $450,000) to several Red Cross
societies; the company will match global employee donations to these
societies. In addition, Cargill businesses and employees in China are
supporting long-time partner China Children and Teenagers' Fund for
school-rebuilding efforts as part of a longer-term recovery effort in their
communities.
Caterpillar The Cat Foundation has made an initial gift of $50,000 to
the American Red Cross to be used for disaster relief efforts in China and
will also match cash contributions from Cat employees, retirees, and Cat
dealer employees to the American Red Cross up to an additional $50,000. If
the match is fully realized by its June 13 deadline, the total gift to
earthquake relief in China will be $150,000. In addition, Caterpillar
together with its dealers have initially deployed equipment valued at
approximately $2.85 million, including machines and generator sets to be
used in the recovery efforts, as well as a team of skilled equipment
operators. Caterpillar and Cat dealers in China are poised to mobilize even
more equipment if needed.
Chindex, a health care company with operations in China's southwest, is
making in-kind donations directly in response to and delivered directly to
those delivering care. Among their donations, the company has made a large
delivery of antibiotics to Huaxi Women's Hospital, which is sending the
drugs with its medical team to the epicenter. Chindex has also sent
icepacks, bandages, rehydration salts, and hand disinfectants on a Red
Cross charter plane with volunteers headed to Sichuan.
Chrysler has contributed to relief efforts and is matching employee
contributions. In addition, the US-based Chrysler Asia Network is raising
funds that will be used for disaster assistance.
Citi Citi China will contribute over $500,000 through the Red Cross
Society of China. In addition, employee donations will be made for recovery
efforts.
The Coca-Cola Company has already sent 10,000 cases of water for
earthquake relief and has pledged a donation of RMB 5 million ($715,000) of
cash and in-kind assistance.
The Dow Chemical Company has donated RMB 2 million ($286,000) to the
Red Cross Society of China as the initial effort in the relief of the
earthquake and is carefully monitoring the situation to assess need for
further assistance. In parallel with the company donation, Dow Greater
China has also established an employee matching gift program. Donations
made by employees in China will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the
company.
ExxonMobil has contributed $50,000 dollars to date for relief efforts.
Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company has announced an initial donation
of RMB 5 million (over $700,000) in cash and vehicles together with its
joint venture partners and investment companies in China. Ford Transit
vehicles, including ambulances, will play a pivotal role in supporting
relief efforts for the victims of the China Wenchuan earthquake. Ford has
also encouraged its employees to make personal donations to the
GlobalGiving project, which Ford Motor Company Fund will match up to RMB
500,000 ($72,000).
General Electric and the GE Foundation are providing immediate funds of
RMB 10 million ($1.4 million) to the Red Cross Society of China and over
half a million dollars of equipment and services to enable ongoing
emergency relief efforts.
General Motors General Motors Corp. and its Shanghai GM and
SAIC-GM-Wuling joint ventures in China have made an initial donation of RMB
6 million ($860,000) to southwest China's Sichuan Province to support
rescue and reconstruction efforts following a massive earthquake on May 12.
GM has also set up an employee donation program to assist earthquake
victims. The company will match the donations of its employees around the
world.
The Home Depot and The Home Depot China has initially committed
$100,000 to the China Charity Foundation and 1,000 tents and other supplies
for earthquake survivors. Home Depot Stores in China are donating 10
percent of sales from designated brands and are collecting contributions
directly from customers to be sent to Chinese relief agencies.
Johnson & Johnson is committing significant cash contributions to
immediate relief and long-term rebuilding efforts, and is supporting
employee donations through matching gifts. Additionally, Johnson & Johnson
affiliate companies in China have announced a commitment of RMB 10 million
($1.4 million) to the Red Cross Society of China, and have donated many of
the companies' consumer health care products and medical supplies.
Microsoft is making an initial donation of RMB 1 million ($143,000) to
the Red Cross Society of China. Our China subsidiary is reaching out to
local response organizations to identify areas where our technology and
other support can help. Through our partnership with NetHope, the largest
relief organizations are using technology to prioritize relief efforts and
match available resources. We will make use of our corporate and local
Chinese home pages for Microsoft.com and MSN.com--visited by millions per
day--to connect the general public with how they can donate to over 40
organizations that are providing assistance on the ground. Microsoft will
match contributions from our Chinese and US-based employees. Where
possible, we are proactively reaching out to our small, medium and
enterprise customers in the impacted area to offer technical support, free
of charge, if assistance is needed to get their technology solutions up and
running again.
Motorola has made donations to date of approximately $600,000 worth of
cash, emergency communications equipment, mobile phones, and network
services to Sichuan Province, including a cash donation to the Red Cross
Society of China; Motorola Employee Service Committee (ESC) has also
requested donations from employees. The company also is providing field
support for the checking and recovery of base station and communications
systems.
Pepsico has donated RMB 1 million ($143,000) to the Red Cross Society
of China on May 13 and is providing product donations (food and beverages)
to those in need. In the US, our foundation has established a website to
allow for all of our employees to make direct contributions to the Red
Cross. Each donation will be matched by the foundation.
The Procter & Gamble Company P&G Greater China has pledged RMB 1
million ($143,000) to the China Red Cross to help with relief work. The
organization will also establish a local voluntary employee donation
program to show that the hearts and minds of the 7,000 Greater China P&Gers
are with those in need at this difficult time.
Qualcomm has donated $500,000 to the Red Cross Society of China to
support relief and recovery efforts.
Tyco Electronics has made an RMB 1 million ($143,000) cash contribution
to the Red Cross Society of China to assist with overall emergency efforts.
The company is creating an internal Tyco Electronics (TE) China Earthquake
Relief Fund to which employees worldwide will be able to contribute to
directly aid affected employees and their families in China. US-based
employees are making contributions to the American Red Cross that are
earmarked for the China Relief Effort -- the company will match these
contributions dollar-for-dollar. Tyco Electronics' business units in China
are working with Chinese authorities to determine what TE products and
services can be donated to help with the overall relief effort. So far, the
company's Network Solutions business segment in China has committed RMB
600,000 ($86,000) worth of products and services to help rebuild critical
telecommunications and energy networks. The company expects to make
additional contributions of products and services as the situation unfolds
in China and specific needs are identified.
Underwriters Laboratories will be launching a contribution program to
match employee donations for disaster relief in China.
UPS is contributing a total of $1 million in cash and in-kind support
to the earthquake relief efforts in China. Through its charitable arm, The
UPS Foundation, UPS is making a cash donation of $500,000 to the American
Red Cross in support of its earthquake response efforts on the ground in
China, in conjunction with The Red Cross Society of China. UPS has also
pledged an additional $500,000 for in-kind support to aid the
transportation of relief supplies.
Wal-Mart Stores Wal-Mart has contributed more than RMB 3 million
($430,000) in relief to China in response to the recent earthquake. A
portion of the RMB 3 million contribution will be given to the China Red
Cross for disaster relief. In addition, assistance will be provided to help
reconstruct the devastated communities. Wal-Mart has more than 15 stores in
the area struck by the earthquakes and has been providing essential
supplies and assistance to our associates, customers, and neighbors in the
impacted areas--donating water and other emergency related products such as
food, batteries, and clothing, valued in the hundreds of thousands of RMB.
Watson Wyatt has launched a dollar-for-dollar matching donation program
in its Hong Kong office, which will be contributed to the Hong Kong Red
Cross for Sichuan earthquake rescue and relief efforts. The firm's
Shanghai, Beijing, and Shenzhen offices have also made contributions for
earthquake relief.
The US-China Business Council (USCBC, http://www.uschina.org) is the leading
organization of US companies engaged in business with the People's Republic
of China. Founded in 1973, the USCBC provides extensive China-focused
information, advisory and advocacy services, and events, to roughly 250 US
corporations operating within the United States and throughout Asia.
SOURCE US-China Business Council
