At the Warren County, Tennessee, facility, through a partnership with environmental and community groups, the Bridgestone Environmental Education Classroom & Habitat (BEECH) program was created, incorporating interdisciplinary studies with environmental education. Students learn about the outdoors through field studies, as well as in an interactive, hands-on classroom. The BEECH program has been tremendously successful in providing environmental education in a fun and exciting way.

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To celebrate Earth Day in 2009, the Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations facility in LaVergne, Tennessee, invited 26 local students to help beautify a new permanent fence on the property. Students painted each panel of the fence based on the theme "Protecting Our Environment” .

Think Before You Drive is an online platform from Bridgestone Americas that promotes driver safety education with a special focus on younger drivers. The Web site includes tips, quizzes, games, and an “In Your Community” section with details on Think Before You Drive events around the country. Think Before You Drive, which is aligned with the Bridgestone Group's global initiative of the same name, incorporates all of Bridgestone Americas' consumer safety and education programs (Safety Scholars, Driver's Edge, tiresafety.com, Car Care Academies) under one comprehensive umbrella. With these programs, Bridgestone Americas will continue to position itself as the industry's leader in driver safety education.

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Driver's Edge is a free educational program for young drivers (aged 15–21) teaching real-life emergency avoidance and response techniques as well as overall driver safety. This innovative youth program is taught by driving professionals through a unique combination of behind-the-wheel and classroom experience. Driver's Edge was specifically developed to address the unacceptably high number of youth-related road traffic accidents and fatalities. Through Bridgestone Americas support, Driver's Edge continues to help educate teenage drivers contributing to improved safe driving on our roads.

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Bridgestone Americas has developed the Safety Scholars initiative to promote driver safety and education among America's youth. More than 900 students have entered the video-making contest since its inception in 2007, and the Safety Scholars Web site has received more than 2 million hits. In 2008, the Public Service Announcements of Safety Scholars have been distributed to television stations across the United States and to date have had more than 8,500 airings, with approx. 53 million audience impressions.

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Bridgestone Americas teammates have built six houses in the Nashville, Tennessee, area, in support of Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI), which is a non-profit housing ministry. HFHI seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness around the world, and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action. HFHI invites people of all backgrounds, races and religions to build houses together in partnership with families in need.

Junior Achievement of Middle Tennessee provides hands-on experience to young students to understand the economics of life. As a supporter of this program, teammates from Bridgestone Metalpha U.S.A. go to local schools to teach students in all grades the skills for success, business ethics and entrepreneurship.

On May 2, 2009, volunteers from the Bridgestone Americas Akron facility and Firestone Polymers picked up and bagged trash collected at the corner of Brown Street and McKinley Street. The team collected 48 bags of trash, 6 tires, 1 bike tire, a sewing machine, bed frame and springs, street barricade, a couch, and a snow snovel.

Firestone Liberia teammates conduct their cargo donation program throughout the year to transport humanitarian supplies to Liberia in order to help rebuild the country. Since the ships often have space available when they return to Liberia after delivering their natural rubber cargo at U.S. ports, the company has partnered with many charitable groups to fill that space with books, medical supplies, non-perishable food items and other supplies that are in desperate need in that country.

21 salaried and union teammates provided support for the Heartland Area and Illinois State Summer Special Olympics. The Bridgestone Americas Trust Fund contributed to support the local and state summer games.

Mercy House provides housing and comprehensive support services to homeless men and women, mothers with their children and families. The Homeless Prevention Program provides financial assistance and support to prevent households from becoming homeless. Mercy House also provides transitional and permanent housing as well as Walk-In Centers for emergency services. Bridgestone Americas teammates provide services and support to people staying at Mercy House, concentrating on the children of homeless families.

The South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation(SCVR) Department is an employment agency for people with disabilities. The Aiken County facility provides 16 jobs per day for tasks which include rubber recovery, cart painting and liner repair. The Aiken County facility was named the 2009 SCVRC Business Partner of the Year for our dedication to helping those with disabilities.

The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) is an organization founded in 1950 which combats muscular dystrophy and diseases of the nervous system and muscular system in general by funding research, providing medical and community services, and educating health professionals and the general public.

Bridgestone Americas Jacksonville Distribution Center teammates shipped five large boxes of clothing and goodies to the 1st – 25th Infantry Division stationed at Camp Warhouse in Iraq. The teammates were very generous with pre-packaged food, games, international calling cards and toiletry supplies. Thirty percent of the Jacksonville work force has served in the military. As a token of appreciation, the soliders sent the Jacksonville Distribution Center teammates a signed propeller from a drone along with a picture of the entire unit.

Great American Cleanup is the nation's largest community improvement program that takes place annually from March 1 through May 31.
Volunteers donate time by beautifying and improving communities, parks and recreation sites, seashores and waterways, picking up litter and much more.
Tennessee was the first state in history to have 100% county participation.

In order to help educate children of all ages about our natural world and our need to co-exist with all the living things with whom we share this planet, Firestone Diversified Products sponsored the Indianapolis Zoo’s new shark exhibit. The exhibit highlights the diversity of nature and also serves as a great example of our support for the environment.

Bridgestone Metalpha USA, Inc. partnered with a local school to provide support with its educational initiatives. This support included participating in teaching students interviewing skills and techniques and also providing equipment donations to the school. Bridgestone Metalpha teammates also supported AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program, which is an in-school academic support program for grades 9-12 that prepares students for college eligibility and success. AVID helps pay for college application fees for these students.

Progressive Directions Inc. (PDI) serves developmentally delayed adults and their families through center-, home- and community-based programs. Bridgestone Metalpha U.S.A. employs adults from PDI to help clean separators that are returned from tire plants, inspect and repair pallets, sort gloves and load and unload desiccant oven. Bridgestone Metalpha U.S.A. was nominated by PDI as employer on the year for the Middle Tennessee Employment Consortium and won this award for 2009.

United Way of the Greater Clarksville Area works with other agencies in the community as an outreach to help citizens meet financial, educational and health needs.
Since 2005, Bridgestone Metalpha U.S.A. has participated in a week-long event each August called “Days of Caring.” We volunteer 4 hours of our time on our days off to go to partner agencies and paint, do landscaping, deliver meals, clean or what ever else the agency needs. In the past 5 years, 472 team members volunteered in this week.
Bridgestone Metalpha teammates hold an annual in-house campaign to raise money to help support the United Way.

Relay for Life is an annual event to raise money for the American Cancer Society.
Clarksville, Tennessee, area businesses and organizations participate by setting up a tent on a campsite overnight to raise money. All monies earned goes to cancer research.

Austin Peay State University (APSU) hosts an International Night every year in November. Bridgestone Metalpha U.S.A. has participated in this event since 2008. This annual event is a night of music, food and laughter in celebration of world culture. Each country gets a table to display various aspects of their culture and offer a food sample to those in attendance – a real draw for hungry undergraduates. We support this event by donating Japanese snacks, table decorations and volunteer to work the event.

Bridgestone Americas Akron and Firestone Polymers teammates collected much needed school supplies to help local students at the McEbright/Lincoln Elementary School. Teammates took their time to greet these students on their first day of school with Bridgestone backpacks and all of the required supplies that they would need for the entire school year.

Firestone Polymers, LLC-Lake Charles teammates support “March for Babies” — Community walk fundraiser and program to support programs to help babies born prematurely and with serious illness.

Firestone Polymers, LLC-Lake Charles teammates conducted a toy drive to collect new toys for needy children in Southwest Louisiana.

Bridgestone Canada Inc. led the sponsorship of funding a Learning Grounds program for a local elementary school. The school uses the grounds as an area for learning about nature, environment, indigenous plants as well as it provides shade for the children to play in. The Learning Grounds consists of five gardens: butterfly garden, bird sanctuary, vegetable garden, canoe forest, and sugar bush (sugar maple trees).

Canada Safety Council (CSC) advocates for safe practices in a variety of indoor and outdoor activities including road safety, driving courses and Internet safety. Bridgestone Canada teammates have sponsored the revitalization of CSC’s children’s Web site (www.elmer.ca­), the purchase of an Elmer mascot costume, and the flag program for schools to champion road safety (traffic, cycling).

Bridgestone de Costa Rica, S.A. teammates distribute leaflets about safety and tire gauges to drivers through its dealer network and shopping malls. Bridgestone de Costa Rica, S.A. uses TV, radio, newspaper and other media to raise safety awareness among drivers.

Bridgestone de Mexico, S.A. de C.V. teammates promote Safety Driving Clinics at different universities in Mexico, scheduling four, thee-day clinics per year. The main objective of this program is to provide participants with the necessary skills and road safety education to reduce their exposure to both road traffic accidents and dangerous driving situations.

Bridgestone Engineers conducted the Tire Air Pressure and Fuel Consumption Program that shows the rates of motorists driving with underinflated tires, which threatens their safety. The study also shows rates of fuel consumption and additional CO2 emissions into the environment. The results in 2008 have been disseminated in the Latin American region. In 2009, the data of six countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Mexico and Venezuela) was collected. To determine the results, Bridgestone engineers will conduct an analysis of data, taking into account vehicle and fuel types, among other criteria.

The Esperanza de Cuernavaca School provides elementary education to needy children living in rural areas. Bridgestone teammates are invited to continuously support the children in different programs developed by the Community Committee, such as kids day, back to school program, Christmas for everyone, etc. In addition, teammates raise fund for building new classroom and railing, scholars supplies, basic groceries, clothes and toys.

Mexico Carbon Manufacturing teammates support the Friendly House Association to help children diagnosed with cancer. One of the programs' goals is to obtain donated hair to make wigs for children who are undergoing cancer treatment.

Mexico Carbon Manufacturing has entered into an agreement with three universities to provide internship opportunities to local students. This internship program not only gives excellent learning opportunities to students, it also strengthens the relationships between the local universities and the company.

In Argentina, we supported the citizens of Tartagal, north of Argentina, affected by disastrous landslides. Volunteer groups comprised of teammates, suppliers, dealers and other local companies participated by clearing debris and cleaning up the affected areas. Teammates also contributed by collecting 1.5 tons of non-perishable items, clothing, shoes and medicine.

Bridgestone do Brasil Industria e Comercio Ltda. made a donation of toys to the institution “Projeto Amigo (Friend Project)”, which is located in São Bernardo do Campo. Besides the development of educational activities and craft workshops, this project offers alimentation as well as medical and dental services in partnership with Metodista University of São Paulo. Bridgestone do Brasil Industria e Comercio Ltda. teammates supported this project which delivered about 180 toys and around 150 items of school stationery to the children.

Bridgestone do Brasil Industria e Comercio Ltda. support the Bridgestone Swim Speed program, which is also sponsored by Olympic swimmer Fernando Sherer. This program helps to promote social inclusion through sports to local children and teenagers and has supported more than 6,500 local children.

Bridgestone Chile, S.A. team members, in conjunction with “Un techo para Chile” Foundation, built in two weekends two classrooms and one library for a countryside location called Chorrillos, which serves families with low resources. “Un techo para Chile” is a Chilean foundation that helps families without houses that live in poverty conditions.

Teammates gave support on the development of the “Cena Pan y Vino (Bread & Wine Dinner),” located in Santa Cruz. Monies raised through this dinner will help build day care facilities for families with limited resources.

At the World Day of the Beaches held each year, more than 100 volunteers clean and collect waste from the lagoon and at its mouth—called “the Bocaina”—in Patanemo Bay. Eco-friendly bags and “MAKE CARS GREEN” leaflets were also distributed. In this year alone, our volunteers collected 4 tons of trash.