Inauguration of the 2nd edition of the „Blue Grants” programme

28 April 2013

Earth Day, celebrated on April 22, is a good time to introduce some environmentally friendly changes. Each gesture, even a small one, counts. That is why it is so important to increase environmental awareness. One of the biggest goals of the "Blue Grants" programme, realised in collaboration with Volkswagen Poznan and Our Earth Foundation, is the promotion of ecological education among local residents. Today, on the occasion of Earth Day, the 2nd edition of the "Blue Grants" programme has been inaugurated.

The "Blue Grants" programme aims at the preparation and realization of activities having a form of a project or programme in order to raise awareness concerning the environmental protection, shape the ecological attitudes and awareness of the community, promote active ecological education outdoors, and support local initiatives contributing to the environmental protection in Wielkopolska. Volkswagen is engaged in environmental protection activities.
The inauguration of the 2nd edition of the "Blue Grants" Programme was attended by the Human Resources Board Member - Jolanta Musielak and the Finance and Organization Board Member - Szymon Trzebiatowski. "We have been engaged in the environmental protection of the area for many years. Together with the Town and Municipality Office in Swarzedz we have been investing in the rehabilitation of Lake Swarzedz and last year we managed to complete renovation works conducted in the valley of the Cybina River." - said Szymon Trzebiatowski while presenting the corporate community involvement strategy.- "We also run a number of campaigns directed at employees and besides manufacturing the highest quality vehicles and components we would also like the production process to be more environmentally friendly - this attitude is known in the Group as „Think Blue. Factory. The “Blue Grants” programme makes it possible to engage others in our activities and invite schools, preschools, organizations or associations to join us in promoting the environmental protection. The meeting was attended by almost 70 representatives of schools and non-governmental organizations from Wielkopolska.
Giving fishing rods instead of fish.
The total grant pool to be distributed among the winning projects amounts to 24,000 PLN. Moreover, the winners have the chance to use Volkswagen Caddy with BlueMotion Technology for free, for a period of one year. “We know that our region have different kinds of needs. Some schools need ecological education, others may benefit from gardens with rare species of plants or waste-sorting bins. We do not want to impose anything and thus limit possibilities and creativity. It is important for projects to be ecological and to respond to the needs of our environment” - says Mikołaj Jóźwiak, the programme coordinator. Make use of your idea, create a plan and act!
“It is very important to have passion and vision - applications are like motivational letters, forget about empty words and write from the heart” - said Katarzyna Dytrych, a Board Member of Our Earth Foundation. The Foundation has been operating in Poland for 20 years and it is responsible for coordination of such initiatives as "Clean Up the World”. Since the very beginning the foundation has been a social partner of the programme and shared its knowledge and experience with the participants. Applications may be submitted until the end of June.

Photographs and up-to-date information may be found at: www.niebieskiegranty.pl
Contact details:

Piotr Danielewicz, the Spokesperson for Volkswagen Poznan
phone: (061) 876 17 84,  696 443 956 piotr.danielewicz@vw-poznan.pl

Katarzyna Dytrych, "Blue Grants" project coordinator, Board Member of Our Earth Foundation, phone: 512 158 325, kasia.dytrych@naszaziemia.pl