Volkswagen wins 2011 PR award in CSR communications category

The Volkswagen Group has been honored with the 2011 International German PR Award in the CSR communications category for its international cross-media campaign “1:0 for Volkswagen – Corporate Social Responsibility in South Africa”. The award was presented in Wiesbaden last Friday by the German Public Relations Association (DPRG) and F.A.Z.-Institut. It is the German PR industry’s most prestigious award and is based on selections made by a jury of 38 representatives from science and industry.

The award recognizes a cross-media campaign organized by Volkswagen on the occasion of the 2010 FIFA World Cup informing politicians, the general public and employees about the company’s broad-ranging social commitment in South Africa. In the jury’s opinion this “campaign accompanying the World Cup” with its broad range of instruments and events scored a “direct hit”.

The award was presented to Volkswagen representatives Dr. Carsten Krebs, active in the communications department at Volkswagen of South Africa at the time of the campaign, and Michael Scholing-Darby, Head of Political Communications at Group External Relations.

Volkswagen’s numerous projects and initiatives in South Africa, some of which have been running for decades, focus on education, employment, health and sport. The aim is to improve equal opportunities and to encourage the development of socially deprived communities. In addition, the Volkswagen workforce also helps disadvantaged children and teenagers with the “One Hour for the Future” and “A Chance to Play” initiatives.

Corporate social responsibility is firmly anchored in the corporate strategy of the Volkswagen Group, which also received the German CSR Award in early April for its achievements in this field.