Bekaert: Better Together For Chile & Indonesia

The donation program for Chile had only started when damaging floods in Karawang added an extra dimension to the help action.
 
The result is another illustration of what better together stands for at Bekaert: on a voluntary basis, Bekaert employees of all entities worldwide personally donated the salary equivalent of the number of hours they wanted to work for their colleagues in Chile and Indonesia. A symbolic charity action day took place on 30 March. The sum of all donations was doubled at the corporate level, leading to a total of € 550 000.
 
Bekaert organizes 'better together for Chile' donation program
Kortrijk, 15 March 2010 − Bekaert has launched an international donation program to deliver direct support to the affected colleagues of the company's Chilean joint ventures.
 
Many Chilean colleagues have lost their house or suffered major property damage due to the earthquake or tsunami. All employees of the Bekaert Group have now been invited to contribute to the program by determining the number of hours they want to "work for Chile". The salary equivalent will be transferred to the donation account that was established for this purpose. On 30 March 2010 all participants will wear the 'Today I work for my Chilean colleagues' badge. Bekaert will double the amount that will be raised through this action and will transfer the fund integrally to the local teams who will coordinate the reconstruction and repairs of the houses of affected colleagues.
 
As for the manufacturing and distribution activities: all entities in and near Santiago report little to no damage and have resumed operations. The property damage to the Inchalam manufacturing plant in Concepción is being repaired and several production lines have been started up again. The entity has been coordinating with its customers and suppliers, and with its own distribution center in Santiago, ways and means to ensure normal operations and supplies within the shortest possible timeframe.