DHL employees spread community cheer in Can Gio and Tam Dao

On Sep 19, 2010, DHL’s third annual Volunteer Day, where 400 employees from its Express, Global Forwarding, and Supply Chain divisions descended upon the Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere outside Ho Chi Minh City and Tam Dao National Park in Hanoi to plant 12,000 trees and made food donations to underprivileged communities.

“Volunteer Day is one of the highlights in DHL’s calendar,” said DHL-VNPT Express General Director Mr. Tim Baxter. “In previous years we have visited orphanages in Binh Duong and Dong Nai, and this year, we turn our attention to Can Gio and Tam Dao, where our employees donated food to underprivileged people in the area, and importantly, created a better environment by planting more than 12,000 new trees in these areas.”

Can Gio’s Mangrove Biosphere is a 38,000-hectare region that provides a sanctuary for native flora and fauna. The mangrove area – nicknamed Ho Chi Minh City’s Green Lung, became recognized as the first World Mangrove Forest Biosphere by the United Nations in 2000. Tam Dao National Park has been the focus of some of the highest levels of herpetological survey effort in Vietnam, and a large number of reptile and amphibian species have been recorded there.

DHL Global Forwarding’s Managing Director, Mr. Adrian Shou said: “Globally, DHL is committed to contributing to communities in which it operates and serves. While we make a positive contribution to communities throughout the year, Volunteer Day is special, as it allows our employees to contribute their time and effort through hands-on community engagement projects which improve the people’s lives here in Vietnam.”

Mr. Ryan Tang, Managing Director, DHL Supply Chain concurred, saying: “This is a day where our team will quite literally get our hands dirty for a cause, as we all get out in the mangroves and plant more than 12,000 new trees to improve the quality of our environment and contribute to climate protection.”

The 400-strong DHL team also distributed 138 food packages that included dietary staples such as rice, noodles and soy sauce for needy villagers in the Can Gio areas.

Introduced in Asia Pacific in 2008, DHL Volunteer Day has expanded into the Americas, Middle East, Africa and Europe over the years, and continues to build on its success by involving more employees than ever before.

From 16 to 26 September this year, around 30,000 employees, customers and business partners in over 100 countries participated in many diverse community projects in support of various local causes. These programs deliver to the company’s three corporate social responsibility pillars – Education (GoTeach), Environment (GoGreen) and Disaster Management (GoHelp). – VCCI

Tags: DHL Vietnam