Singapore: Ride Safe, a safe riding course for motorcycle riders
In October 2011, Bukit Batok Driving Center (BBDC) cooperated with the Singapore Traffic Police to hold Ride Safe, the country's only event designed to promote safe riding skills for motorcycle riders. Ride Safe was launched in 2007 in conjunction with the Traffic Police in order to eliminate speeding and drunk driving by motorcycle riders in response to the fact that most traffic accident fatalities in the country involved motorcycles.
Some 300 corporate and regional riders participated in the 2011 event, which was also attended by guests including the secretary of the Cabinet Office and the director of the Singapore National Police Department's Traffic Police Division. Participants at the BBDC event listened to lectures outlining accident case studies and experienced defensive riding, rapid braking, riding with a passenger, and simulated drunk driving. The same day, posters raising safety awareness were put up throughout Singapore, and pamphlets about safe driving were distributed at parking lots everywhere.
In 2012, Honda plans to work with police to further expand the scale of this Singapore-wide event in partnership with three driving schools (two of which are Honda-related) and other motorcycle manufacturers.
Riders participating in a local class using motorcycles
Philippines: Participating in the Road to 2020 project to protect tropical rain forests
In October 2010, the Honda Foundation Inc. in Philippines began participating in Road to 2020, a project of the NGO Haribon Foundation aimed at protecting tropical rain forests. The program, which is working to replant trees unique to the Philippines on deforested land in an effort to restore the wildlife that once thrived in the associated ecosystems, has embraced the goal of restoring a total of 1 million hectares of tropical rainforest in the Philippines by 2020. The project plans to plant 50,000 trees in 10 years by planting indigenous tree species in the watershed in the province of Laguna each year.
A total of 110 volunteers from Honda dealerships, business partners, motorcycle clubs, and other organizations participated in the August 2011 tree-planting event. Over the last two years, project volunteers have planted 7,500 trees on 3 hectares.
Associates participating in the tree-planting event
Vietnam: Providing presents for disadvantaged and disabled
children
In 2004, Vietnam Auto Parts launched a project to give presents to disadvantaged and disabled children. Twice each year at New Year's and on the mid-autumn festival, about 10 associates give presents to about 50 children aged 3 to 14 as a way of giving something back to the communities where company worksites are located and to associates' hometowns. Participating associates interact with the children, cheering them up and motivating them to overcome the challenges of their everyday lives.
Participants work with provincial and district labor departments and labor unions to determine which facilities to visit, and a total of 12 institutions have been visited to date. Gifts for the children are intended to make them happy and are consistent with the time of year and associated Vietnamese festivals (for example, candy and cookies at New Year's and moon cakes at the mid-autumn festival). Vietnam Auto Parts plans to continue this activity in the future.
Associates giving presents to children
Thailand: Broadening dreams and sharing opportunity through the Jigsaw Project
In December 2009, Honda Engineering Thailand launched a project to invite soldiers and teachers to areas near the Thai border, where they build and repair school facilities such as libraries, classrooms, and restrooms. The company funds the project, which seeks to expand children's dreams and share opportunity, through donations and t-shirt sales.
In 2011, a total of 28 participants boarded 7 4WD vehicles to travel to a school in Tak Province, which is located 500 kilometers from the capital Bangkok, to install equipment for supplying clean drinking water to the school's teachers, students, and other village residents. Going forward, the company plans to build classrooms and other buildings for a school in northern Thailand.
Soldiers joining students from the school in the project
Australia: Holding a charity event to eliminate pediatric cancer
In November 2011, the Steven Walter Fund held a pediatric cancer charity event in the Snowy Mountain region near the capital Canberra. The fund, which was created in accordance with the last wishes of a young motorcycle enthusiast named Steven Walter who died from cancer, holds the event as a way for participating riders to raise money to eliminate pediatric cancer. This year, more than 3,000 riders from all around Australia participated.
Honda Australia Motorcycle and Power Equipment (AUH-MPE) has participated as a sponsor since the first event (in 2001), and the company donated A$100,000 (about ¥8.8 million) in 2011. That figure includes a CBR1000RR donated to a charity auction and a VFR1200F donated as the first-place prize for the event's rally race.
The motorcycle donated to the auction was awarded to the rider whose name was chosen from participants who had purchased lottery tickets, the proceeds of which were donated to the fund. The company also offered test rides at a booth at the event.
The donations raised at the event were presented to a pediatric cancer center, where they will be used to fund research conceived to aid in the early detection of cancer and the investigation of its causes. Total donations since 2001 exceed A$3 million (about ¥240 million).
Riders participating at the charity event
