Empowering Social Mobility

Doing good – Fundraising for sick children
The staff at Volkswagen Financial Services Australia have been supporting the Sydney Children's Hospitals Foundation through fundraising since 2019. The Foundation has dedicated itself to ensuring that every child receives first-class medical care at all times. Every year, it helps more than 150,000 children in New South Wales, a state in Australia's southeast. As part of their fundraising, company employees have realized charity runs, for example. The project funding totaled EUR 7,000 in 2019.

Help for young patients
Volkswagen Financial Services Brazil support the non-profit Little Prince Hospital complex in Curitiba, in the south of Brazil. In addition to the pediatric hospital, the various units of the Pediatric Specialty Center also include a research institute and a training college for medical personnel and healthcare professionals. The organization depends on supporters like Volkswagen Financial Services because the public healthcare system only covers 60 percent of the total costs incurred. Around EUR 125,000 has been given to fund the vital work of this center since 2013.

Simple but effective
As part of the renovation of the headquarters of Volkswagen Financial Services Brazil in 2017, the company installed a rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge system for toilets, gardens and air-conditioning systems and for the general cleaning of the outside areas. Around five million liters of water have already been treated and used since it was put into operation. That corresponds to one third of the annual demand and also enables the company to react accordingly in times of water shortage.

Helping children and young people with music
At the Instituto Baccarelli it is children and youngsters who play first fiddle. Volkswagen Financial Services Brazil has been supporting the non-profit organization since 2002. Every year, the institute enables more than 1,000 children and youngsters from disadvantaged families to enjoy a musical education of a high standard. Volkswagen Financial Services Brazil funds the Baccarelli project with around EUR 40,000 each year.

Building self-confidence and opportunities through sport
Volkswagen Financial Services Brazil has been supporting the soccer and volleyball education program Bola Bacana since 2013 to help children and youngsters from socially disadvantaged families. The non-profit initiative, which receives around EUR 100,000 a year from the national subsidiary in Brazil, offers more than just sports lessons. The Bola Bacana teachers regularly monitor how the participants are doing at school and their academic performance is assessed together with the schools every two months.

Making the dearest wishes of seriously ill children come true
Volkswagen Credit Canada, Inc. has been giving its support to the Children's Wish Foundation of Canada since 2015. This is the only Canadian wish-granting charity dedicated to fulfilling wishes for children between the ages of three and 17 who have been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. The company enables its employees to contribute to the Children's Wish Foundation by volunteering at events in Toronto and Montreal, at which more than a million Canadian dollars are raised every year. In addition, the company itself donates around EUR 40,000 a year to various chapters of the Children's Wish Foundation throughout Canada.

Paraplegia changes your life
Life can change from one moment to the next. To help patients with spinal cord injuries, Volkswagen Financial Services Czech Republic has been supporting the Centrum Paraple since 2015. This non-profit organization, which is based in Prague and helps the disabled from all over the country, is financed to 50 percent through donations. The paraplegic center advises patients after their rehabilitation therapy, for example, and helps them lead a self-determined and active life.

Voluntary engagement
Volkswagen Financial Services Czech Republic motivates its employees to do voluntary work and supports them in doing so. The company works closely together with the HESTIA Center, for example, which serves as an umbrella organization to promote and develop volunteering throughout the country. The non-profit organization helps find suitable voluntary assignments for interested individuals and supplies ideas for special activities, such as for children, senior citizens or the unemployed. The employees of Volkswagen Financial Services are regularly involved in various projects, do things like repair play equipment, help out in the garden, or just simply spend time talking to those in need.

Help in old age
Volkswagen Financial Services Czech Republic believes it is important to help the elderly. The company has been supporting the Sue Ryder initiative since 2010. The focus of this non-profit organization lies on being there for the elderly, providing them with care, and enabling them to lead a dignified life. Sue Ryder runs homes for the elderly and organizes charity events. Volkswagen Financial Services Czech Republic regularly takes part in the Sue Ryder Charity Cup and, among other things, has financed ceiling lifts for the homes to help improve the mobility of the residents.

Caught in a dark and silent world
Running for a good cause – helping deaf-blind children, youngsters and adults is the aim of those employees at Volkswagen Financial Services Czech Republic who regularly take part in the charity run of the non-profit LORM organization and thereby support its various campaigns. Those with severe vision or hearing impairments have a hard time in a society that rarely takes their needs into account. This applies all the more so for deaf-blind people, who lack the two most important senses they need to communicate and orientate themselves in their environment. Volkswagen Financial Services Czech Republic has been a trustworthy partner for the LORM organization since 2006.

Strengthening voluntary work
Volkswagen Financial Services encourage the community involvement of their employees. Social commitment and charitable activities are an important component of the company's corporate responsibility strategy. One of the driving forces for the success of our society has been, is and will continue to be the existence of qualified and dedicated people who are willing to go that extra mile in their personal surroundings and who are guided by a clear understanding of values in what they do. With their STÜTZRÄDER ("STABILIZERS") initiative, Volkswagen Financial Services support innovative and original projects linked to the Braunschweig region with a one-off sum of up to EUR 5,000. The employee must be personally involved in the project for the funding to be awarded. The voluntary civic engagement of our employees has, for example, already benefited the circus project of the booster club for the primary school and children's day care facilities in Veltenhof, the children's cancer care association in Gifhorn, the Semmenstedt volunteer fire brigade, and the refugee support association in Papenteich.

Enabling access to art
The "Art Mobile" bus provided by Volkswagen Financial Services drives schoolchildren in the Braunschweig region to the Wolfsburg Museum of Art free of charge. The successful cooperation between Volkswagen Financial Services and the Wolfsburg Museum of Art has existed since 2002. The bus is technically equipped so that pupils can watch a film during the journey to prepare them in a fun way for their visit to the museum. The total number of pupils who have visited the art museum in this way from the start of the project up to 2019 is 80,585. The scope of the project was extended in 2003. Senior citizens from various institutions such as residential homes and community centers were also given the chance to make an excursion to the art museum, take in its sights and then enjoy a coffee in its restaurant afterwards. 8,753 senior citizens (as at 2019) have since taken advantage of this bus shuttle offer.

Helping children from socially disadvantaged families
The non-profit "Our Children in Braunschweig" foundation, which was established by Volkswagen Financial Services AG in December 2008, focuses on socially disadvantaged children. Nine institutions – day care centers, primary schools and secondary schools – are currently provided with long-term, needs-based funding for educational offerings, initiatives to promote a healthy diet, movement training and early musical teaching. Various other facilities, such as sports clubs, a family centre, the public health department and youth clubs, are supported through one-off campaigns. The foundation funded 19 projects with a total volume of EUR 160,075 in 2019. This amount was distributed among the four funding priorities as follows: EUR 53,991 went to Education, EUR 40,989 to Nutrition, EUR 27,625 to Music, and EUR 37,470 to Activity projects.

Volkswagen Financial Services and the German Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU) have been working together since 2009 to protect moors and restore them to their natural state. That is because moors are exceptionally important for climate protection and biodiversity.

From 2012 to 2020, Volkswagen Financial Services have invested a total of four million euros in the German and International Moor Conservation Fund established by NABU. In Germany, the money is currently being spent on 13 national project areas. In the international arena, the company supports the European Union's LIFE Peat Restore Project, as a result of which an additional four million euros in public funding has been obtained due to the fact that the basic financing for the project has been secured. It is an international EU project the NABU is implementing together with its cooperation partners from Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. Its objective is to renew degraded peatlands and restore their natural function as carbon sinks in the five partner countries.

Furthermore, Volkswagen Financial Services and NABU jointly launched the "Blue Fleet" initiative in 2019. The aim is to promote electric mobility, especially in vehicle fleets. The programme gives customers access to all facets of electric mobility - from fleet analysis, vehicle procurement and infrastructure consulting to numerous instruments and product packages for the successful operation of an electric fleet. This also includes Volkswagen Financial Services investment into NABU moorland conservation projects during the term of the leasing contract, depending on the use of the vehicle. Together, the partners ensure in regular reviews that the volume of CO₂ emissions of the Blue Fleet does not exceed the positive CO₂ effect of the project areas.

The joint commitment of Volkswagen Financial Services and NABU has already received several accolades from independent bodies.

Volkswagen Financial Services are funding the re-naturalization of the River Schunter in the area of Rühme – in the direct vicinity of the company headquarters – with the sum of EUR 340,000. This funding makes the project possible in the first place since the company is significantly supplementing the City of Braunschweig's own financial contribution that is necessary to receive EU funding. The total costs for financing the project are around EUR 3.3 million. The re-naturalization of the River Schunter segment near Rühme should be completed by the end of 2020.

A bridge to the labor market
Internship as a bridge to the labor market: Volkswagen Financial Services gives refugees with vocational IT qualifications the chance to obtain supplemental training and upskill so that their prior vocational qualifications are officially recognized. Their opportunities on the labor market are increased by completing such training. 

Making heartfelt Christmas wishes come true
The Christmas Wish List Tree has been organized by the Works Council at Volkswagen Financial Services for many years and the campaign was staged again in 2019 with great success. Company employees took numerous wish lists from the tree and put together lovingly packed gifts, which were then dropped off at the Works Council office.

Donation from VW FS employees
In 2019 the donation totaling EUR 6,962.24 from the staff at Volkswagen Financial Services went to the association "Weggefährten – Elternhilfe zur Unterstützung tumorkranker Kinder Braunschweig e.V.", which supports children with cancer and their families, and to NABU, the German Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union. The donation was split equally between the two recipients.

The mission: a clean India
Around half the population of India has no toilet at home. Volkswagen Financial Services India is therefore supporting the project to build sanitary facilities in schools as part of the Indian government initiative "Clean India: Clean Schools". Inadequate sanitary facilities have far-reaching effects on health, and children are the hardest hit. The most common cause of death among children up to five years of age is diarrhea. Volkswagen Financial Services India has teamed up with Habitat for Humanity and the two partners have already built sanitary facilities in the following five schools:

1.    Sarvotam Higher Secondary Gujrati Medium School, Rakholi village in Silvassa, Dadra and Nagar Haveli
2.    Government High School, B Narayanpura, Bangalore, Karnataka
3.    Government Higher Primary School, B Narayanpura, Bangalore, Karnataka
4.    Government Model Higher Primary School, Gunjur, Bangalore, Karnataka
5.    Government High School, Immadihalli, Bangalore, Bangalore, Karnataka

Around EUR 490,000 has been donated to the project since funding started.

Initiative for children from socially disadvantaged families
Volkswagen Financial Services India supports the non-profit organization Avanti Fellows. The initiative enables many hundreds of schoolchildren from socially disadvantaged families to go to university each year. During their studies, the organization pays for the costs of tuition, accommodation, meals and travel. Volkswagen Financial Services India has been supporting the initiative since 2016 with annual funding of around EUR 104,300.

Scarce and precious
Since 2015, Volkswagen Financial Services India has been supporting the three villages Lonar Bhaigaon, Khedgaon and Kauchalwadi, which are among those most severely affected by drought in the Indian state of Maharashtra, with the construction and maintenance of dams and water channels. To this end, Volkswagen Financial Services India entered into a partnership with the Watershed Organization Trust (WOTR) in India as part of its corporate responsibility initiative. The project aims to provide a sustainable water supply to the people in the rural region and thus improve the health and economic situation of the population. The Volkswagen Financial Services employees also support the communities in their free time, for example by helping remove sludge from existing waterways or by building dams and ponds. Around EUR 87,000 flows into the project each year.

Fundraising for a children's hospital
At the end of 2018, the employees at Volkswagen Financial Services Ireland and Volkswagen Group Ireland jointly founded a fundraising committee. Its objective is to raise funds for the Temple Street Children's Hospital. At the start of the following year, staff from both companies collaborated with the Temple Street Foundation to come up with ideas for collecting donations for the children's hospital. As a result they staged events like the "Great Irish Bake", the "Women's Mini Marathon", or a tombola. The project funding in 2019 amounted to EUR 30,000.

Financially literate
In order to give young people the know-how they need to manage money, Volkswagen Financial Services Japan (VFSJ) has been supporting Finance Park, a non-profit financial education program for students, in Tokyo since 2015. The Finance Park is located in a public junior high school in the center of Tokyo, just 15 minutes walking distance from the VFSJ office. Here, the young people learn the theoretical and practical aspects of everyday finance and draw up a budget plan at the end of their training. Six other leading companies are involved in this initiative. Only one company from each sector can be a sponsor – and Volkswagen Financial Services Japan represents the automotive industry. VFSJ supports the project with annual funding of around EUR 4,000.

High school program for socially disadvantaged youngsters in Puebla City
Volkswagen Financial Services Mexico has been supporting the "Preparatoria" project, a high school program for socially disadvantaged youngsters in Puebla City, since 2015. This sustainable project was developed in collaboration with the Universidad de las Américas and the Office for Family Development of the State of Puebla. Through this program, young people are given the opportunity to finish school and complete a technical training at the same time. They are therefore able to qualify for the labor market if they do not attend college. Volkswagen Financial Services Mexico helps ensure that the tuition is free for all the pupils. Around EUR 9,800 is donated to the project each year.

Giving children a perspective
Many children in Mexico live on the streets. Volkswagen Financial Services Mexico has been supporting the "Quiera Foundation", a non-profit organization devoted to helping street children, since 2011. The foundation runs 53 care centers across the country, where socially disadvantaged children and youngsters can get help and advice, go to school, and so gain a new perspective in life. Volkswagen Financial Services Mexico helps fund the project with around EUR 5,000 each year.

Admission free
The aim of the "Capilla del Arte" project is to give people of all ages free access to museums, galleries and other cultural events. Volkswagen Financial Services Mexico has been supporting this project, which was conceived in cooperation with the Universidad de las Américas (UDLAP), since 2011. The cooperation has enabled UDLAP to expand its program. In addition, Volkswagen Financial Services Mexico also organizes an annual festival for around 45,000 visitors. The company supports the project each year with around EUR 11,000.

Equal educational opportunities for children and young people
Volkswagen Financial Services Mexico has been the main sponsor of the summer institute "Enseña por México" ("Teach for Mexico") since 2012. The non-profit organization is committed to ensuring equal educational opportunities for children and young people from the poor regions of Mexico, where millions lack the support and opportunity they need to thrive. Enseña por México is also a member of the globally recognized leadership program "Teach for All". University graduates are recruited and trained under the program, after which they devote two years of their professional life to the organization to teach at schools in marginalized communities in Mexico. Enseña por México welcomes around 200 new university graduates to its cause every summer. Volkswagen Financial Services Mexico supports the project with around EUR 12,500 each year.

Solidarity and togetherness in times of great need
During the earthquake catastrophe in 2017, the Red Cross designated Volkswagen Financial Services Mexico as an aid centre. At that time, a severe earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1 on the Richter scale shook the Mexican region of Puebla. The employees of Volkswagen Financial Services Mexico set up a donation collection point in the company building, worked in the donation center, and supported the rescue efforts. Food, medicine, water, clothing and blankets were quickly collected and distributed to the people affected.

When your muscles go on strike: the disease ALS
People with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ALS for short, suffer from an incurable, fatal disease that causes the degeneration of motor neurons controlling voluntary muscles. Those afflicted eventually lose their ability to walk, speak, swallow and breathe. The goal of Volkswagen Pon Financial Services/DFM is to make sure that ALS patients can live independently for as long as possible. That is why the company supports the "ALSopdeweg" foundation, an organization that helps patients lead a dignified life. In both 2018 and 2019, Volkswagen FS Netherlands provided two wheelchair-accessible VW Caddies, which the foundation makes available to patients. VWPFS/DFM donates a total of around EUR 50,000 each year to ALSopdeweg.

Where people with disabilities work
Work also gives people with intellectual disabilities the chance to boost their self-esteem, be independent, achieve social recognition, and live with confidence within the community. That is also a reason why Volkswagen Møller Bilfinans has awarded all its work revolving around packaging, labeling and dispatch to the Fossheim Verksteder Foundation. The non-profit organization offers people with disabilities a sheltered workshop environment and employment to suit their personal abilities and talents. Volkswagen Møller Bilfinans supports the foundation with funding of around EUR 2,300 each year.

Time for orphans
The employees at Volkswagen Financial Services Poland have been supporting an orphanage in Chotomow in eastern Poland since 2014. They renovated rooms, for example, laid out a garden and built a playground. More than 300 colleagues are involved in the two-day event, which takes place every year. The company also helps the orphanage in the form of Christmas gift campaigns, in-kind donations and educational projects.

The weaker can also be winners
Play and movement are of huge importance for children. That also applies to children with a disability. The Fundal Foundation supports the social integration of people with disabilities, especially children, and has been in alliance with UNICEF since 2004. Volkswagen Financial Services Spain has been supporting the foundation with around EUR 15,000 each year since 2014.

Education makes girls strong
Volkswagen Financial Services South Africa took over the costs of renovating and equipping the laboratory at the Lofentse Girls High School in Soweto. The lab was officially handed over to the school in 2017. As part of its corporate responsibility initiative, Volkswagen Financial Services South Africa entered into a partnership with the SA Medical and Education (SAME) Foundation, which accepts donations for corporate social initiatives. In addition to healthcare, a further focus of this non-profit organization lies on education, with the goal of giving children and youngsters in very poor communities the chance to develop their potential at school. The foundation identified and registered 50 high-impact and sustainable projects across the country, including the project at the Lofentse Girls High School.

Kindling an interest in music and history
Volkswagen Financial Services South Korea has been supporting an education program for schoolchildren since 2016. One-day events for around 200 participants regularly take place as part of this program. The young people listen to exciting talks on subjects such as history and music. Volkswagen Financial Services South Korea provides the project with funding of around EUR 62,000 each year.

Collecting refuse together on the beach
The pollution of the sea with plastic waste is a serious problem. Collecting refuse and cleaning up the beach makes a valuable contribution towards protecting the environment. And when they take part in the coastal clean-up initiative coordinated by the European Chamber of Commerce, employees at Volkswagen Financial Services Taiwan regularly invite their family and friends along to help them.

Support for hospice work
The Willen Hospice is located in Milton Keynes (the UK headquarters of Volkswagen Financial Services and the Volkswagen Group) and provides palliative care to adults. The Keech Hospice is in Luton, around 30 kilometers from Milton Keynes, and provides palliative care for both adults and children. Every year, Volkswagen Financial Services UK supports these two charitable institutions with around 30 fundraising and voluntary activities such as renovation work, abseiling descents, fire-walking or marathons. Besides taking part, the company also helps provide the logistics for such events.

Financial support
Volkswagen Financial Services UK has been supporting the aid organization "BEN" since the 1990s. The charity is dedicated to helping people who work or have worked in the automotive industry and their family dependents. Our UK subsidiary assists in various ways, for example by providing vehicles, through fundraising campaigns, or by organizing Christmas dinners for the residents of Olney, a town near Milton Keynes.

Mentoring for young people
Mentoring can make a significant contribution to the personal and social development of young people. That is why around 25 Volkswagen Financial Services UK employees are regularly involved in the company's mentoring program  m. They offer their knowledge and experience to school pupils as coaches and advisers. The program is designed to run over a period of a year. The initiative was launched back in 2013 and some of the former pupils are now themselves working at Volkswagen Financial Services UK.

Financial Heroes
Volkswagen Credit has been supporting the "Financial Heroes" initiative since 2012. The aim of this initiative is to teach children and youngsters between the ages of 10 and 17 how to manage money sensibly and responsibly. The pupils have the opportunity to test and practice their newly acquired skills in a digital learning environment in the classroom. Volkswagen Credit supports the project with around EUR 13,000 each year.