Corporate Philanthropy

For years TÜV Rheinland has strived to make a difference in local communities. In 2008, the TÜV Rheinland Cares initiative was launched with the Sichuan School Rebuilding pilot project. Faithful to the vision on which we build the company, the initiative focuses on actively developing and engaging sustainable solutions for man, environment and technology.

TÜV Rheinland Cares´ mission statement is to establish well-being in communities, foster environmental protection through education and equip and prepare people for the development of technology.

TÜV Rheinland’s Donation to Rebuilding of Primary School in Sichuan Showcases its Philanthropy

On 12, May 2008, an 8.2-magnitude earthquake with devastated Sichuan Province in China, resulting in more than 80,000 casualties.

International support for the area was immediate. TÜV Rheinland staff reacted quickly and generously raised 35,000 Euros locally. This contribution was substantiated with an additional 400,000 Euros contribution by the TÜV Rheinland Group. Since more than 7,000 schools collapsed or were badly damaged in the earthquake , several thousands of the casualties were students, the group directed the funds towards rebuilding schools in the worst hit areas.

More than one year after the disaster, schools are still housed in temporary sheds while reconstruction takes place. TÜV Rheinland’s contribution signals its support for safe schools and continuing education for the students in this area. To ensure efficient use of the donations, the Group chose Sowers-Action, a Hong Kong-based, nonprofit charitable organization committed to building schools and supporting education in China’s poor regions since 1992, as its partner.

In September 2008, four months after the devastating earthquake, Renjia Village in Lushang County, Ya‘an Province was chosen for the first project, and three months later a funding contract was signed. Please see the draft history of the Renjia School. The four-story building will house academic and laboratory rooms and eventually have room for up to 1,200 students from grades 1 to 9, as well as a dormitory that can accommodate up to 175 students. The whole project has been completed in June 2011. Employees of TÜV Rheinland helped make sure the Sichuan School buildings met safety requirements and participated in the Sichuan School teacher training programs to help the teachers create their own plan for future development.

Currently the building has been handed over to the local Sichuan Province Government.

After the rebuilding, training plan was also initiated. The first group of TÜV Rheinland volunteers for 2012 departed for Renjia Central School on 11 February, together with ICA facilitators and a delegation from Sowers Action. More than 30 teachers working at Renjia School participated in the training.

The training programme consists of three modules: teaching methodology, design and practice. The first two days focused on teaching methodology. The ICA facilitators demonstrated how to guide students and manage their emotions. They showed the teachers how to develop multi-intelligence in teaching using workshops and games.

TÜV Rheinland rebuilds two schools sufferred from landslides in Yunnan.

In July 2011, representatives of TÜV Rheinland visit the MangNanNuo and Xiangjiaoshui Schools in a remote area of Lincang, Yunnan. The two schools were declared dangerous after being partially damaged by recent landslides. TÜV Rheinland allotted RMB 2.2 million (EUR 240,000) in funding for the reconstruction of these two schools, which were damaged by the serious landslides in 2011. Xiangjiaoshui School has been relocated away from its original area, which remains subject to the threat of serious landslides, while Mangnannuo School has been completely rebuilt because the original structure was determined to be unsafe. The Xiangjiaoshui School has renamed its new Academic Building as the TÜV Rheinland Sowers Action Hope Academic Building, while Mangnannuo School has renamed itself as the Mangnannuo TÜV Rheinland Sowers Action Hope School, in thanks for TÜV Rheinland’s donation.

After nearly one year of reconstruction, the opening ceremonies of the Xiangjiaoshui School and Mangnannuo School in Yunnan were held on the 18th and 19th of December, respectively. The ceremonies were attended by Claudia Spahl, Deputy German Consul of the Chengdu German Consulate, Ralf Scheller, TÜV Rheinland Greater China President and CEO, Linda Jiang, General Manager of TÜV Rheinland Western China, Albert Ho, Chairman of the Board at Sowers Action, Luo Hongbo, Sales Manager of OBC Express, a team of local government representatives led by Yang Qing, Vice-Secretary of Lincang Municipality, and Bai Ling, Party Secretary of Lincang Municipality, and students from grades 1-9 at the two schools. After the ceremonies, the VIPs planted trees on the campuses, symbolizing self-reliance and hard work. They also visited each school’s facilities, including classrooms, libraries, dormitory, and canteen.

“TÜV Rheinland supports the reconstruction of these schools in the hope that students in rural areas can have access to better education environments. A better study environment can be a seed of love and caring planted in students' hearts. We hope they can study harder and also help other people when they are adults,” TÜV Rheinland’s Scheller said at the opening ceremonies. “TÜV Rheinland is committed to the long-term development of the schools and providing different kinds of support, such as monetary support, training for teachers, extra-curricular activities, etc., to support youth development. Improving accessibility to education in rural areas, and its quality, is part of our corporate social responsibility.”

“The completion of the reconstruction of Mangnannuo School creates a safe, harmonious learning environment for teachers and students,” said the Deputy Mayor of Zhenkang County, Yubao Cao, at the opening ceremony of the Mangnannuo TÜV Rheinland Sowers Action Hope School.

“TÜV Rheinland’s support of the reconstruction of these schools has greatly improved the schools’ conditions and solved their development bottleneck,” said the Deputy Mayor of Yongde County, Lijun Chen, during the opening ceremony of the TÜV Rheinland Sowers Action Hope Academic Building at Xiangjiaoshui School.

TÜV Rheinland provided immediate assistance to the afflicted Western Chinese region

Nearly two years after the devastating catastrophe in Sichuan, another earthquake struck the Yushu region in Qinghai Province. The mid-April 2010 seism caused 2.000 fatalities and left hundreds of thousands homeless. TÜV Rheinland again reacted quickly and provided immediate assistance to the afflicted Western Chinese region by rallying internal support from the employees. "We again want to help these victims as quickly as possible because we care about the communities where we work", stated Robert Zorn, who was charged with organizing the internal Qinghai fund raising activities.

All in all, TÜV Rheinland's Greater China offices collected Euro 24,700 for Qinghai. The sum was donated within two weeks of the seism to the Red Cross chapters in Beijing, Hong Kong and Taipei.