Beijing – GM China recently received the 2023 Outstanding CSR Award and the Annual ESG Best Case Award at the Creating Goodness through Public Welfare: 2023 13th Philanthropy Festival and 2023 ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) Summit.
Held in Beijing from Jan. 23-24, the event is regarded as the most influential annual philanthropy and charity event in China. It is jointly organized by SYOBSERVE Net, SYOBSERVE Public Welfare and several mainstream media organizations to promote the spirit of philanthropy, advocate for charitable actions, and provide a platform for in-depth dialogue, collaboration and communication.
GM China was honored for its longstanding support of children and students. The company and its employees are actively engaged in the Safe Kids Safe Ride program with Safe Kids Worldwide (China) and the Student Company program in collaboration with Junior Achievement China.
“The younger generation is the future of our society and a driving force of global change,” said Julian Blissett, GM executive vice president and president of GM China. “As an automotive industry and corporate social responsibility leader, GM aims to make a difference through real action to enable a safer, more inclusive and more sustainable future.”
Safe Kids Safe Ride Program: Promoting Children’s Safety
The Safe Kids Safe Ride program has been promoting the safety of children in and around vehicles since its launch in 2014. It has reached out to more than 6,200 kindergartens, primary schools, and children's and maternity hospitals in over 160 cities across the country, benefiting more than 20 million children and their parents.
Over the past decade, the program has conducted five surveys and research on child passenger safety, advocating for the inclusion of relevant content on child safety seats in the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Minors and the Shanghai Road Traffic Management Regulations. The program has received full support from the Shanghai Municipal Committee for the Protection of Minors, the Shanghai Traffic Police and the Shanghai Center for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as municipal and district-level disease control and traffic police in more than 20 cities nationwide.
In November 2023, GM China, in collaboration with Safe Kids Worldwide (China), released the latest "Shanghai Child Passenger Travel Safety Research Report" and launched the immersive Child Traffic Safety Public Class. These initiatives, featuring the latest data and innovative formats, aim to guide the precise promotion of the future Safe Child Travel project.
Student Company Program: Illuminating Creative Ideas
The Student Company program is a practical entrepreneurship program for high school freshmen and sophomores sponsored by GM China in collaboration with Junior Achievement China. Through a targeted curriculum design and guidance from corporate volunteers, participants have the opportunity to unleash their creative ideas; put forward new business plans for environmental protection, community revitalization, cultural and creative peripherals, and life services; and more. They can also actively participate in team building, conduct needs assessments, engage in research and development, and take part in the entrepreneurial process including marketing.
In 2023, the program launched a sustainable development module, extending its impact both inside and outside the classroom. It leverages online micro-courses, offline workshops and project showcases, giving students a hands-on entrepreneurship experience to broaden their horizons in line with the future development direction of communities and the world.
Since the fall semester of 2022, it has expanded to six major cities: Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu, Xi'an, Changsha and Shenzhen. By the end of the 2023 academic year, the cumulative number of participants in the program is expected to exceed 5,500 high school students, and the number of students who have benefited from online activities such as the livestreaming of product launches and mentor sharing is expected to surpass 5 million.
“To help address constantly changing societal demands, GM China will continue collaborating with charitable organizations and society to promote the deep integration of corporate development and philanthropic endeavors,” said Blissett. “We aim to create a sustainable and better future together.”
Philanthropy Festival, established in 2011, is the first China domestic festival named "Philanthropy" initiated jointly by mainstream media. The event aims to promote the spirit of philanthropy, advocate for charitable actions, and provide a platform for in-depth dialogue, collaboration, and communication among various parties. After thirteen years of exploration and practice, the Philanthropy Festival has become the most influential annual event in the field of philanthropy and charity in China. Over the past twelve years, more than 700 philanthropic organizations, over 1,000 philanthropic projects, and over 600 audiovisual works have participated in the festival, spreading the power of goodness. The overall reach, coverage, and impact of the event have exceeded 80 million people.
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