Social Contributions Around the World

As Thailand is a Buddhist country, helping out at temples is a key priority in terms of social contribution activities. At Kobelco & Materials Copper Tube (Thailand) Co. Ltd., employees volunteered to spend their Sunday cleaning, painting and helping with the upkeep of an inaccessible temple in the mountains.

Tasks were divided among the 60 employees who took part, with maintenance staff taking charge of specialized tasks such as painting and replacing light bulbs and switches. Regular employees handled such tasks as sweeping the floor and grounds and cleaning the toilets. Everyone pitched in and worked hard with local residents.

Kobe CH Wire (Thailand) Co., Ltd. has been engaging in support activities at rural schools once a year since fiscal 2009. Activities are spearheaded by employees and are aimed at giving children something they can use, in order to improve levels of basic education in Thailand.

Activities in fiscal 2011, the third year this scheme has been up and running, involved collecting money, clothing and teaching supplies and donating them to kindergartens and elementary schools in Chonburi Province.

Following the Great Sichuan Earthquake in 2008, Kobelco Construction Machinery provided support for the reconstruction of Qingxing Shengang Primary School in the Chinese city of Pengzhou. It has stayed in regular contact with children from the school ever since, through activities such as inviting them on tours of its plants and donating teaching materials.

In March 2011, the company received a letter of encouragement and a donation for victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake, along with a request that they be passed on to an elementary school in the affected area. Having put together a Japanese translation of the letter from pupils at Qingxing Shengang Primary School, called "Ganbare, Tohoku!" ("Stay Strong, Tohoku"), the company delivered that message along with the donation to Tamaura Elementary School in Iwanuma, Miyagi prefecture in June 2011.

At Kobelco Stewart Bolling Inc., employees can come to work in their jeans on "Casual Friday." Each employee pays $5 for the privilege each month, with the proceeds then donated to charity.

All money raised by the 35 employees taking part in these activities, which have been going on since 2007, is matched by the company. Employees support a wide range of charities, including the American Heart Association and support groups for cancer patients, and will continue to do so in the future.

PRO-TEC Coating Company supports the American Cancer Society by taking part in the Relay For Life charity event.

Company employees take part in the event, in which relay teams have to run or walk continuously, from 7:00 pm one day until midday the next. In addition to donations collected from employees' friends and families, the company also makes its own contribution.

As well as the relay itself, the event features stalls and other activities, enabling everyone to join in raising money while having a good time.