Protecting the climate and the environment was a key issue at this year’s Frankfurt motor show IAA. So it was a good opportunity for Volkswagen to showcase its long-standing partnership with Germany’s largest environmental organization NABU.  

During the last years, Volkswagen and NABU were organizing free fuel saving training sessions throughout Germany. At the IAA, a new project regarding the protection of the species wolf called “Willkommen Wolf!” was communicated. In line with the extended co-operation, Volkswagen is supporting NABU with a variety of measures: rental cars, financial aid and the set-up of workshops and networks. 

“Protecting the environment has become a global challenge. Wherever we look - design, climate technology or packaging, sensor technology and architecture, material development, micro- and nano-technology – researchers and developers take their lead from nature, just as we do in the automotive industry. In this sense, biodiversity also has an economic value. That is one reason why our cooperation with NABU is so important for Volkswagen,” said Stephan Grühsem, Head of Group Communications, commenting on Volkswagen’s commitment.

“See what’s driving the future” was the motto of this year’s international motor show in Frankfurt. Matching its theme, this year’s show was less about luxury cars and practical innovations than about new sustainable technologies and the “green cars” of tomorrow. “Manufacturers should think how to cut carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in ‘every single part of the car’”, said Chancellor Angela Merkel as she opened the IAA. She seemed pleased when walking through the halls, mainly because European automakers demonstrated a general tendency towards ‘green thinking’ and a new interest in economical, hybrid and electric vehicles – and also in environmental co-operations.  

But Volkswagen is not the only automaker partnering with an environmental organization. Toyota and the “German association for environmental aid” have also joined forces. Together they established the “German Climate Protection Prize”. The award rewards special accomplishments, innovative concepts, effective actions and new strategic initiatives concerning the protection of the climate. But this is only one of many projects that Toyota is supporting worldwide. In total, the company invested about 8.2 million Euros in more than 40 environmental projects and co-operations since 2000 within their Environmental Activities Grant Program.  

But all this is not breaking news. It only seems that with the increased importance of CSR over the last few years, more and more companies are engaging in partnerships with environmental and social organisations. Mostly B2C companies partner with NGOs. The alliances help them not only to improve their image but in some cases also to boost sales. In most cases, both partners benefit from the partnership. NGOs receive financial support and in many cases also increased exposure as most companies prominently communicate these engagements. But to be perceived by consumers as ‘green’ in the long term, partnerships with environmental organizations are not sufficient. A ‘green’ strategy that is embedded in all business areas is required; from the development of ‘green’ products/ technologies to the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions in the production etc. Sony, for instance, has maximised the energy efficiency of many of its products, especially of its BRAVIA LCD TV models. For this voluntary commitment Sony won the Sustainable Energy Europe Award from the European Commission. Furthermore, Sony has started using “renewable energy” for some of its offices in Germany. A good start…  

Further examples of partnerships with NGOs: 

Volvic & UNICEF

The „1 litre for 10 litre“-themed project of the two co-operation partners, water brand Volvic and the organization UNICEF, is entering its second year. During the period of the campaign every litre of Volvic water bought equals ten litres of water for Ethiopia funded by the two parties. Goal of the co-operation is to build at least 55 sustainable water fountains in Ethiopia in order to provide the country with two billions litres of water, enough for about 21.000 people during the next ten years. http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/ethiopia_34957.html 

Coca-Cola & WWF

Coca-Cola entered a co-operation with the environmental organisation WWF to change its water spending behaviour – at the moment 2.19 litre of clean tap water are used to produce one litre of Coca-Cola. In its favour, Coca-Cola is willing to invest about 15 million Euros in the co-operation and the related “Water Savers Project”. Goal of the co-operation is to use water more economically in the future and to enforce the effort regarding the recycling of water.                     

http://sustainable.rain-barrel.net/coca-cola-pledges-to-replace-the-water-it-uses/http://www.worldwildlife.org/news/displayPR.cfm?prID=102

AEG & Twentieth Century Fox & WWF

WWF has also joined forces with AEG and for an energy saving project in relation to its household appliances. WWF was giving energy saving tips for AEG customers. During the same period of time, 20^th Century Fox contributed 2 Eurocents per ”Ice Age 2”-visitor to the organization WWF. This summed up to 140.000 Euro, which will be used for WWF’s work on the tideland. http://www.wwf.de/kooperationen/aeg/ (German)

Google & UNEP

The collaboration between UNEP and Google Earth provides a ‘flying’ experience around a virtual planet Earth, zooming in on environmental hotspots and comparing environmental conditions over time. Therewith, the UNEP offices have become more visible and it is easier for interested people to review the state of the environment and environmental changes taking place around the world.  http://www.unep.org/home/unep-google.asp 

Starbucks & AWF

In 2004 Starbucks and AWF teamed up to build awareness for conservation of the wild lands and wildlife in Africa and explore new ways to bring sustainable coffee growing practices to Kenya and Tanzania.   http://www.awf.org/content/solution/detail/3372 

Bayer/Schering & UNEP

Bayer has entered a long-term partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The partners first began cooperating on youth environmental projects in Asia in the late 1990s. In the summer of 2004, Bayer and UNEP signed a framework agreement to make this partnership global, and the partners now jointly organize a dozen environmental projects for young people around the world. In addition, Bayer supports project work through donations worth one million Euros every year.  http://www.sustainability2006.bayer.com/en/News-Detail.aspx?id=7632 

Montblanc & UNICEF

Since 2004 Montblanc is supporting UNICEF in their fight against illiteracy. This year Montblanc is continuing its engagement and invited 149 celebrities from all over the world for the campaign “The Power To Write”. The celebrities will sell a special edition pen at selected Montblanc stores. The company donates 149 US-Dollars for every pen for the benefit of the international campaign which will - at the most - raise 1 million Dollars.                                                                              http://www.montblanc.com/3375.php?showSubKat=true                       http://www.stylophilesonline.com/12-04/12unicef.htm  

FIFA & SOS Kinderdörfer

”6 villages for 2006“ was the motto of the official charity campaign for the FIFA world championship 2006 in Germany. Together the FIFA and the non-profit organization SOS Kinderdorf were collecting donations for the construction of six villages for children in Brazil, Nigeria, Ukraine, Vietnam, South Africa and Mexico. http://www.fifa.com/u20worldcup/organisation/media/newsid=112583.html 

Telekom Austria & WWF

A new project is the “ecological footprint” of the Austrian Telekom and WWF. The footprint marks the usage of resources by everyone and shows how our lifestyle affects the climate change worldwide.                                                                          http://www.telekom.at/Content.Node/media/news/0608-wwf-kooperation.php (German) 

Canon Europe & WWF

CanonEurope started an official co-operation with the WWF, after its close collaboration since 1998. Their project is all about polar bears in the artic, which will allow the WWF to mark and track polar bears within the future. Canon is supporting the scientific research work of the laboratories and extends the shared micro site, where the polar bears can be tracked by everyone and where kids can learn more about them. http://www.canon.com/scsa/group/europe/environment/index.html  http://www.panda.org/polarbears 

IMLEK & UNICEF

In January 2007 IMLEK and UNICEF, the largest milk production factory in Serbia, renewed their decades-long cooperation. UNICEF and IMLEK engaged in cooperation back in 1957 when UNICEF allocated a production line for the pasteurization and bottling of 30,000 litres of milk a day. The cooperation has been steady ever since, culminating in community welfare events planned for this year. http://www.b92.net/eng/news/economy-article.php?yyyy=2007&mm=01&dd=29&nav_category=96