Page 45 - Report_to_Unitholders_2012

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As a committed corporate citizen, we continue to support
charitable causes that beneft the communities served by
our shopping malls, as well as adopt green practices that
contribute towards environmental sustainability.
Supporting Community & Charity Causes
“MySchoolbag”, CapitaMallsAsia’s signatureannual corporate
social responsibility programme, took place in China for the
third time in September 2012, in conjunction with the start
of the country’s new school year. Held in partnership with
the China Charity Fund, new schoolbags and stationery
were given to nearly 19,000 underprivileged children from
over 200 schools in 19 provinces and autonomous regions,
including pupils from 14 CapitaLand Hope Schools. The
China programme was made possible with a donation of
about S$250,000 from CapitaLand Hope Foundation, the
philanthropic arm of CapitaLand.
As part of the programme, staff volunteers distributed
new schoolbags containing stationery to the children, and
gave 13,000 books suitable for children from grades one
to three to the schools. For the frst time, volunteers from
the retailers in our malls participated in the programme,
alongside staff volunteers. Shoppers also played a part
by sending words of encouragement and well wishes to
the children by signing greeting cards at counters set up
within our malls. Six of our malls – CapitaMall Xizhimen,
CapitaMall Wangjing, CapitaMall Qibao, CapitaMall Saihan,
CapitaMall Wuhu and CapitaMall Minzhongleyuan – took
part in the programme.
Besides My Schoolbag, CapitaMall Saihan organised a
Christmas tree light-up ceremony in December 2012 in
conjunction with a book donation drive to beneft students
studying in CapitaLand Duolun Hope School in Inner
Mongolia. Such activities helped to rally shoppers and
retailers to show compassion for the underprivileged in
their communities.
CapitaMall Xizhimen received an award from the Xicheng
District of Beijing for its sustained community initiatives. In
September 2012, CapitaMall Xizhimen held a photography
exhibition highlighting nutritional issues faced by school
children in China’s rural areas. Another initiative was the
mall’s organisation of aworkshop to enhance the employment
prospects of the women in the community.
CapitaMallWangjingwas awarded “ExcellentWorkingUnit” by
the Chaoyang District of Beijing for its contributions towards
community causes. These include the mall’s organisation
of donation drives for poor families and participation in the
World Wildlife Fund’s Earth Hour initiative.
Green Practices
We remain frmly committed to protecting our environment
for our future generations and constantly seek to minimise
the environmental footprint of our malls’ operations.
Throughout the year, our malls engaged our stakeholders –
including the Chinese government, retailers, shoppers
communities, schools and non-governmental organisations –
in a wide array of activities that raised awareness of
climate change and the role each of us plays in achieving
sustainable development.
One highlight was our participation in the World Wildlife
Fund’s Earth Hour, the global movement to raise awareness
of climate change, for the fourth year running. On Saturday,
31 March 2012, six of our malls – CapitaMall Xizhimen,
CapitaMall Wangjing, CapitaMall Saihan, CapitaMall Wuhu,
CapitaMall Qibao and CapitaMall Minzhongleyuan – turned
off façade and non-essential lights for 10 hours from 8.30
pm onwards. To raise awareness of the green cause among
shoppers in the lead up to Earth Hour 2012, activities, such
as “live” unplugged music performances at CapitaMall
Wangjing, were held in the malls.
Corporate
Social Responsibility
CapitaRETAIL china trust |
Report to UNITHOLDERS 2012
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