DHL aims to impart beach safety knowledge to children with “DHL Kids’ Lifesaving Experience”

DHL has held its “DHL Kids’ Lifesaving Experience” on 8 June 2008, almost one month before the beach open this summer.

The event, which aimed to teach children about water and beach safety, was held at Shirahama Ohama Beach in Shimoda, Shizuoka Prefecture.

The “DHL Kids’ Lifesaving Experience” reflects one of DHL Japan’s core themes in its Corporate Sustainability initiatives, which is “Supporting Future Generations”.

The event this year marks the fifth time it has been organized, with the inaugural event taking place in 2004.

This year’s event was held in conjunction with the “21st All-Japan Lifesaving Multi-Category Championship”, held on 7 and 8 June at the same beach.

The children were able to gain an understanding of lifesaving activities with a talk on “Safety In The Water” by local lifesavers, with the objective of educating the children on safety at the beach.

“DHL Japan is pleased to support this lifesaving competition, which brings together competitors who train hard to improve their skills and physical fitness prior to the upcoming beach season,” said Guenter Zorn, Representative Director / President of DHL Japan.

“I am also delighted that together with the lifesavers, we were able today to convey the message regarding the importance of safety to the children.

DHL Japan intends to continue to support the efforts of the children in various ways to improve their skills, and by extension, help contribute to creating a safer society”

DHL Japan has been supporting the non-profit Japan Lifesaving Association since 2004, as the Association’s promotion of conducting rescue operations is a natural link with DHL’s core values of “speed,” “safety” and “reliability”.

This year’s “All-Japan Lifesaving Multi-Category Championship” was supported by DHL as a part of a five-year partnership agreement, effective from 2004.

DHL, which provides international express and logistics services in more than 220 countries and territories worldwide, aims to contribute to the communities in which it operates in. DHL has contributed and participated in activities that contribute to various regions and societies under its regional Corporate Sustainability theme of “Supporting Future Generations”, which aims to support children and youth with access to quality healthcare, education and a sustainable environment.

As part of “Supporting Future Generations”, DHL participated in a project conducted by a non-profit international aid agency, Plan Japan, to send gifts to children in developing countries, and transported 15,000 gifts to children in 40 developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America last year.

Also, in September 2006, DHL entered a global partnership with UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) to provide long-term and sustainable support, in the form of logistics and financial aid, for UNICEF’s global fight against child mortality.
Aiming to contribute to communities it operates in, DHL utilizes its global network to create programs that are relevant and consistent to all partners and participants.