DHL Celebrates Global Volunteer Day 2011

DHL marked Global Volunteer Day 2011 in Singapore with a community activity over the weekend. About 450 employees from its Express, Global Forwarding, Supply Chain and Global Mail divisions participated in three activities - a touch rugby clinic, an educational visit to Science Centre Singapore and a tree planting exercise, held across Singapore.

The employees provided sports and educational mentorship as well as participated in reforestation efforts as part of its global drive to give back to local communities and to inculcate for the spirit of volunteerism among employees.

“Global Volunteer Day is one of the many ways that our employees give back to the community that we call home. In keeping with DHL’s corporate responsibility principles, we are bringing together our people to support members of our community who need support, to rejuvenate the environment and to make Singapore a better and greener place to live in,” said Herbert Vongpusanachai, managing director, DHL Express (Singapore).

This year, DHL worked with five Voluntary Welfare Organizations (VWOs): Andrew & Grace Home (AG Home), Boys’ Town, Chen Su Lan Methodist Home, Children-At-Risk Empowerment Association (CARE) Singapore and Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA); to befriend these underprivileged youth through fun and educational activities such as Touch Rugby coaching and a visit to the Singapore Science Centre. Some DHL employees planted 120 trees at Dairy Farm Nature Park.

Sam Ang, CEO, South East Asia, DHL Global Forwarding, commented: “DHL believes that its people are its greatest resource and that a concerted outreach effort will inspire a stronger commitment among employees to continue volunteering on an individual basis, even after this annual initiative. We believe that inculcating values and highlighting the positive action we can take towards our environment is important. All our initiatives aim to provide participants with opportunities for hands-on learning in an enjoyable and engaging way.”

“Through coming together globally on a common platform that is Global Volunteer Day, we hope to aid the sustainable and positive development of the next generation as well as the physical environment that we live in. We believe that business can thrive in pace with a flourishing society, and this forms the cornerstone of what DHL terms as ‘Living Responsibility’,” said Richard Winnall, country manager, DHL Supply Chain Singapore.

Introduced in Asia Pacific in 2008, Volunteer Day has expanded into Americas, Middle East, Africa and Europe over the years, and continues to build on its success by involving more employees than ever before. From 1 to 10 September this year, Deutsche Post DHL offices around the world are participating in many diverse community projects in support of various local causes.

These programs deliver to the company’s three Corporate Responsibility programs - GoTeach (championing education), GoGreen (protecting the environment) and GoHelp (delivering help after natural disasters).