Volkswagen Community Trust

Community investment: Volkswagen Community Trust has long been committed to the needs of the world outside the factory gates. The trust has invested more than 25 million Rand in education and training, in employment, health and equality in the Uitenhage region. Volkswagen has also joined forces with the Nelson Mandela Metro and the provincial government to establish the Uitenhage Dispatch Development Initiative (UDDI), a joint project which promotes not only jobs and skills but also encourages the foundation of small-scale enterprises. The preferred target groups of community involvement à la VW are young people and women.

Anti-discrimination: Black workers enjoyed vocational training at Volkswagen of South Africa (VWoSA) even during the times of the apartheid state when such activities were still prohibited. Workers organised in trade unions and labour representatives were also tolerated. Facts which make it all the more understandable that Volkswagen supports the policies of “Black Economic Empowerment” (BEE) within a democratic South Africa at every possible opportunity – for example by adopting its own BEE charter. Whenever VW requires new suppliers or dealerships, those companies are given preferred status which are managed by members of previously discriminated groups. A strategy entitled Preferred Procurement.

Growth and employment: The VW plant in Uitenhage gives more than 6000 employees and their families employment and security. Together with suppliers, Volkswagen is a locomotive of the South African economy. While VWoSA has been implementing a massive investment programme since the turn of the millennium in new models, a new paint shop and a totally new assembly plant for transporters and buses, the company was recently able to celebrate the production of its 2.5 millionth vehicle, when it rolled off the production line in Uitenhage. With a 21 per cent share of the new car market, Volkswagen is also the market leader in the car segment.

Aids Care: The battle against Aids involves particularly close cooperation between the company‘s economic and societal activities in order to achieve long-term location security. Working in collaboration with the GTZ organisation, the emphasis at the plant itself is on education, treatment and reintegration of affected staff members free of any discrimination. Working in co-ordination with authorities, NGOs and community organisations, Volkswagen is also committed to help Aids orphans in the region. The fruit of this networking is the Save the Children forum. VWoSA‘s Aids care projects have been frequent recipients of awards for excellence in business initiatives.