CSR360

Posted: Tuesday 10 November 09, 9.14am GMT

Shanghai, November 9, 2009 – On Saturday November 7, more than 2400 Citi China employees, together with their families and friends, joined their colleagues around the world to volunteer in their local communities.

This year a major focus of activities in cities around China was supporting the environment. Community walks were organized in Shanghai, Beijing, and Hangzhou, with all funds raised going to a tree planting initiative being organized by Roots and Shoots, a leading environmental NGO. The initiative, an effort to offset carbon emissions and combat climate change, is known as “The Million Tree Project”, and is located in Inner Mongolia. Citi’s funds will go towards the creation of a “Citi Forrest” as part of the initiative.

Andrew Au, Chairman of Citibank (China) Co., Ltd. and Chief Executive Officer of Citi China noted: “Citi’s Global Community Day has become an integral part of the company’s culture of promoting and encouraging volunteerism. Our commitment to being a good and socially responsible corporate citizen in China is stronger than ever.

Other environmental initiatives were carried out in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Tianjin, Dalian and Xiamen, and were aimed at promoting environmental awareness and city cleaning efforts. Another key component of the day was a series of activities designed to educating the next generation of young people. Citi volunteers in Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Chengdu conducted educational sessions for students in migrant schools, primary schools, and universities on various subjects, including finance, the environment and health.

This year, the Global Community Day in China was expanded into two new cities. Overall, volunteers took part in twenty-one projects in twelve cities – Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Tianjin, Dalian, Zhuhai, Gong’an, Chibi, Xiamen and Chengdu.

“On Global Community Day, Citi employees, together with their family and friends, will volunteer their special skills and expertise in more than 100 countries with one goal in mind – to make a difference in the communities where we live and work,” said Pam Flaherty, President and Chief Executive Officer, Citi Foundation and Director, Corporate Citizenship. “Community engagement is very important, especially during these difficult economic times, when the needs are so great. Whether it is teaching financial education to young people, planting trees to combat deforestation, refurbishing schools in poor communities, or serving meals to the homeless, Citi employees will turn out to help because volunteering is one of many ways that Citi strengthens the communities where we live and work.”