Since Wenchuan earthquake occurred, Bank of China's overseas employees have well demonstrated their profound understanding of corporate social responsibility with compassion, love and actions. Their unceasing attention, concern and support to people in the quake-hit areas does not become weaker as time goes by.
Undertaking Social Responsibilities
After the earthquake, Bank of China's overseas branches took the lead in making donations to the earthquake stricken area in the name of both branches and individuals, and also took the initiative to provide convenient and highly-efficient financial services for overseas communities' disaster relief efforts by waiving handling and telegraph charges, opening special donation accounts, providing "green channel" and making public account numbers and hotlines of disaster relief institutions.
In order to bring efforts of local communities into full play, especially to promote endeavors of overseas Chinese and international friends, Bank of China's branches in New York, London, Paris, Singapore, Bangkok, Malaysia, Sydney, Macau published donation advertisements in the local media immediately after the earthquake. The joint efforts from all sides could make a big difference. Bank of China's overseas branches brought the overseas donation activities for the earthquake stricken area from one climax to another, with the donation amount refreshing continuously.
For helping the earthquake stricken area with production recovery and reconstruction, Bank of China Macau Branch, as chairman of the Macau Association of Banks (ABM), initiated the Donation and Disaster-Relief Activity of the ABM for the Wenchuan Earthquake. As an important member of the Macau Chinese Enterprises Association (MCEA), the branch vigorously advocated and participated in the donation activities of China-invested enterprises and made total donations of MOP 500,000 to the earthquake stricken area in Sichuan through the ABM and the MCEA.
As chairman of the China Chamber of Commerce in Australia, Bank of China Sydney Branch has actively promoted the donation and disaster-relief activities of the Chamber. The Chamber made a prompt response by making the first donation in Australia right after the earthquake. And the branch's donation proposal to all members of the Chamber received vigorous responses. Recently, Sydney Branch sponsored a disaster relief evening party with AUD 380,000 raised, which was covered live by CCTV and Phoenix TV with follow-up reports.
Bank of China Group Investment Limited's headquarter took active actions in organizing donations, and many secondary companies were active in raising funds for supporting reconstruction in the earthquake stricken area.
"Special Party Membership Dues" and "Special Party Day"
Characteristics of the Communist Party of China can be well demonstrated in emergency, and true care and love can be shown in difficult times. Communist employees and active applicants for Party membership assigned to Bank of China overseas branches actively paid "special Party membership dues" to express their loving care for compatriots in the earthquake stricken area.
Li Aihua, General Manager of Johannesburg Branch, took the lead to pay the "special Party membership dues", and actively called for communists of the branch to make more donations. As of May 30, donations the branch had received amounted to about USD 370,000. In the donation activities initiated by Sydney Branch, Milan Branch, Bank of China (ELUOSI) and other overseas branches, the communist employees vigorously paid special Party membership dues, which inspired and promoted the enthusiasm of other employees for donation.
Sydney Branch and other overseas branches opened special service counters and organized communist employees to participate in special donation counter services at weekends by the "Special Party Day". This initiative won high praise from the consulate general and society.
In order to ensure a smooth donation channel and facilitate inquiry, Johannesburg Branch arranged a special "liaison person for donation service of disaster relief" to handle all kinds of donation-related issues at the earliest possible time.
Considerate and Comprehensive Financial Services
In the course of supporting disaster relief and reconstruction, relevant persons-in-charge in Johannesburg Branch contacted the embassies and consulates many times in order to keep informed of the donation situations, difficulties in donation and to offer help accordingly. Meanwhile, the branch also initiatively helped the embassies and consulates with account reconciliation and inspection. New York Branch and Singapore Branch organized employees to the consulates to assist in the donation activities on site at weekends, thus establishing a good image for Bank of China overseas employees. By firmly adhering to the overall situation consciousness and putting people first, Bank of China (ELUOSI) and other overseas branches have persisted in providing enthusiastic and considerate financial services to all customers with no consideration of donation amount. As a result, Chinese embassies in overseas countries and regions sent letters of thanks for the efforts of New York Branch, Bank of China (ELUOSI) and other branches in supporting the reconstruction of the disaster stricken area.
Attracted by high-quality financial services of Bank of China (Canada), customers there have been active in making donations. On May 22, 2008, the Toronto office of CCTV came to Downtown Branch to cover the donation activities, which was broadcast on CCTV-4 on May 24, with focus on the green channel service and the free remittance service provided by Bank of China (Canada).
As the largest Chinese association in Canada, the National Congress of Chinese Canadians applied to the Canadian Government and obtained the taxation number for charity donations to the earthquake stricken area. According to relevant rules, individual donators can enjoy tax rebate by the taxation number of charity donation, and the Canadian government was committed to providing the Matching Fund to charity fund raising organizations which had obtained the taxation number.
Loving Care with All-out Efforts
Bank of China overseas branches have been trying their utmost to stand by people in the disaster stricken area. At Grand Cayman Branch, the management took the lead in donations, and family members of the employees also actively participated in the donation activities to support the reconstruction. Employees of Bank of China (Canada) not only donated to the account in the bank, but also vigorously made donations through external organizations, such as the Canadian Red Cross and the World Vision Canada.
According to incomplete statistics, as of May 30, donations made by Bank of China's overseas branches (excluding Bank of China Hong Kong) and the employees for the reconstruction of the earthquake stricken area reached USD 1.7 million, while overseas donations transferred via these branches topped USD 10 million.
As the first institution in Hong Kong to donate to the Hong Kong Red Cross right after the earthquake, Bank of China Hong Kong had donated HKD 15.43 million and RMB150,000 to the earthquake stricken area as of June 4. Moreover, Bank of China Hong Kong had collected charity funds of HKD 268 million on behalf of the Hong Kong Red Cross, Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, Oxfam Hong Kong and other major charities. Disaster relief charity funds of over HKD 600 million was sent to the Mainland through free remittance service of the branch.
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