Throughout BHP Billiton’s sponsorship of the Games, we have run a number of programs to celebrate our Olympic association, aimed at engaging a wide range of company stakeholders.
We launched a host of community activities throughout China and in regional communities around the world where we do business, to demonstrate our commitment to those areas.
This included seeking Olympic-themed legacy opportunities and supporting our commitment to sustainable development in the communities that we operate in by providing each region with important health and education programs, sporting equipment and infrastructure.
As an example, in the Republic of Guinea, a small West African country with limited funds for its sporting programs, we have been able to support its Olympic team as it prepares for the Games. Our support will aim to provide these athletes with the best chance of reaching their potential in Beijing.
Since August 2007, more than 150,000 people in 25 countries around the world – BHP Billiton customers, staff and community members have taken part in almost 150 Olympic activities, celebrating the values that both the Olympic movement and our company embrace.
Sharing The Spirit In China
As part of our sponsorship program and ongoing commitment to China’s development, a series of BHP Billiton Olympic Community Events were established to bring the excitement of the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games closer to BHP Billiton’s customers and their communities throughout China.
BHP Billiton prides itself on building close connections with the communities in which it operates around the world. As we do not have any current operations in China, the Olympic Community Events were our way of sharing the spirit of the Beijing Games with our Chinese customers as well as giving back to their local communities.
Designed to give children throughout the country an opportunity to participate in Olympic and Paralympic-themed activities, these events were held in the major cities of Beijing and Shanghai as well as six regional locations connected to our customers in the year leading up to the Games.
More than 8000 children across China had the opportunity to take part in our community events, participating in a range Olympic and Paralympic activities designed to encourage active participation, health and fitness.
The program also helped to actively promote the ideals of the Olympic movement that so closely mirror our own values.
Celebrating The Games With Our People
Our sponsorship has seen the creation of several opportunities for our staff around the world to be touched by the excitement of the Olympic spirit, through a range of reward and recognition programs.
Ten of our employees from around the world that best displayed our Charter Values were rewarded with a place in the Olympic Torch Relay. This was designed to reward those people who ultimately make BHP Billiton a great place to work.
Each Torch Relay participant was paired with a member of our China staff who acted as their chaperone throughout their time in the country, providing them with an insight into China’s remarkable history and extraordinary growth.
And as a means for further educating our employees about the global nature of our business, each member of Chinese staff that participated in the Torch Relay program returned to the torch bearers’ home country for a week, to experience life in that environment.
A similar program will also see a further ten BHP Billiton employees take part in the Paralympic Torch Relay.
Our staff programs have also highlighted stories of staff success and assisted in the delivery of important health, safety and behavioural messages across the company, including our absolute commitment to Zero Harm in the workplace.
The Olympic spirit has certainly been embraced by our global workforce. Not only have they contributed to our many Olympic campaigns and taken part in sponsorship-related activities around the world, but they have also purchased close to half a million items of BHP Billiton Olympic merchandise, including caps, pins, t-shirts and other apparel items to celebrate the excitement associated with the Games.