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Activities related to disaster prevention and relief

Bridgestone Americas owns and operates a weather center in one of its tire manufacturing facilities in the state of Tennessee, USA. The center includes weather spotter cameras, a local weather scanner and current weather radar, giving the ability to predict weather patterns. This facility can alert surrounding areas when inclement weather such as typhoons and cyclones is imminent or occurring in the area.

In 2022, the Bridgestone Bilbao Plant in Spain donated sanitary material to Denok Osasunaren Alde – Todos Por La Salud (DOA), an NGO that provides specialized surgical care for people in Spain without resources. Prior to that, in 2018 the Bilbao Plant also supported DOA’s efforts in supplying a medical center in Bolivia with various medical supplies for gynecological-related surgery and medication for cancer treatments to deal with emergencies, and providing other assistance. Javier López, the person in charge of Bridgestone’s medical services in Basauri and Usansolo explained, "This initiative is intended to support the work carried out by ODA, which since 2002 has provided specialized surgical care to people in Spain who lack resources. In addition, ODA has provided training for healthcare personnel, opportunities to exchange experiences, and comprehensive care for women and indigenous people, first in Guatemala and Colombia, and since 2005, in Bolivia.”

In Japan, Bridgestone Corporation offered internships and conducted plant tours for Ukrainian refugee students and international students in collaboration with the Japan University of Economics. The Company has made these humanitarian efforts, including the provision of career education opportunities, to support the future of the next generations. A total of 16 students studying at the Japan University of Economics participated in the internships, which took place twice (once in summer and once in spring). Meanwhile, a total of 17 participants visited the Kurume Plant, which is Bridgestone’s birthplace.

The Group was deeply saddened and concerned about the situation in Ukraine. In line with the Bridgestone E8 Commitment and in particular “Empowerment,” Bridgestone Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. (BSAP) made a 250,000 USD donation through the Singapore Red Cross (SRC) in support of humanitarian and relief efforts, in particular toward vulnerable children, persons living with rare diseases and those in need. Employees in BSAP and Bridgestone Tyre Sales Singapore Pte. Ltd. banded together to raise a further 1,090 SGD toward this meaningful cause. This contribution to SRC provided funding support for medical equipment in a children’s hospital, and for deploying two Singaporean psychosocial support responders to aid at Poland’s largest assistance center. They engaged with displaced mothers and children, distributed children’s shoes and 350 childcare packs consisting of daily necessities and children’s learning and engagement materials.

The Bridgestone Tire Indonesia (BSIN) water rescue team and their training is vital in the Karawang and Bekasi areas due to the high frequency of flooding disasters. Around 15 school units, 14 health centers and 1,699 housing units were damaged following a 6.6 magnitude earthquake that struck the Pandeglang Regency in Indonesia on January 14, 2022.

Flooding that followed heavy rainfall in March further exacerbated the recovery efforts in the area and many households were impacted. BSIN activated the Search and Rescue Team, and together with the General Affairs and CSR team, aided the local community, providing 100 basic food packages, two boats, two outboard engines, safety jackets, 60 sign boards that inform evacuation routes and assembly points to the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD). Food donations were extended to victims who had not yet received assistance from the government or other parties.

BSIN’s water rescue team was put through its paces in a training session with the SAGARA Karawang team. This training is vital because the most frequent disaster response required in the Karawang and Bekasi areas is to flooding. Day 1 was focused on disaster management, medical first responders, water assistance and evacuation techniques. Day 2 included first aid practice, rescue RTRGT (Reach, Throw, Row, Go, Tow/Carry), sea survival and a disaster response simulation. The team is now fully prepared to deliver vital help to communities.

In 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic hit, schools around the world moved to remote learning. Many families lacked the basic technology needed for children to keep pace with their studies, so the Group stepped in to help.

• In Mexico, BSAM donated tablets and school supplies to children at Mexico City’s the Amelia B de Casas Kindergarten to help them continue their studies. BSAM also donated laptops to the Bandera Blanca Foundation in Costa Rica for children in vulnerable situations. Digital workshops also were offered to parents and grandparents of these children to help them learn to use the technology.

In 2021, the Group sent 56 ventilators, 120 oxygen concentrators and 10,000 N-95 masks to India through its global network in Japan, United States and Europe. The Group and its employees helped in numerous other ways as well:

• In Japan, Bridgestone made its own facilities available to local governments as venues for COVID-19 vaccinations.
• Conducting mass vaccination for employees, their families, and contractors by collaborating with local government, Chamber of Commerce, and Indonesian Employers Association in Indonesia. A total of 2100 food packages and 675 sets of antigen swab kits were donated.
• Donating Funds to purchase medical equipment and medical supplies to the University hospital and Hospital Foundation and visiting those isolated at home and those waiting at hospitals, and delivered food and other supplies in Thailand.
• Supporting the frontline medical workers who have been tirelessly battling the outbreak of COVID-19 in Taiwan, employees banded together to participate in a bento box delivery mission, sending more than 100 bento boxes from the Children are Us Foundation restaurant to workers in the Hsinchu County vaccination station.
• Donating three sets of tyres for ambulances in Cho Ray Hospital and HCMC 115 Emergency Center, providing free rescue services for tyre punctures and vehicle related emergencies, contributing to the Vietnam Prime Minister’s Vaccine Fund and the COVID-19 Prevention Fund of Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee to bring more vaccines to the Vietnam community, as well as sponsoring50,000 four layer antibacterial face masks and 600 bottles of hand sanitizer to support the Bridgestone Family Channels to ensure safe working conditions.
• There is “Seguro Llegas” (Get There Safely) Campaign. “Seguro Llegas” aimed at carriers to provide information including safety and accident prevention recommendations in the USA. Due to the pandemic, tire check activities were suspended; however, a different approach called “Seguro me transporto” (I Drive Safely) was carried out, which donated COVID-19 prevention kits to drivers in Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Ecuador.
• Providing necessities and food to NGO and fleet partners who assisted many trucks and people stranded inside the blocked highway when a massive lockdown was implemented in India to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
• Donating two cars, 100 blankets and bags for patients’ belongings to a field hospital in Spain.
• Collecting necessities for families in need in Costa Rica, France, Germany, Italy and Mexico.
• Partnering with Food Bank Singapore to host a food donation campaign for those in need and providing new tires for the organization’s fleet of vehicles.
• Sponsoring “Be Heroes Together” blood drives in Thailand and Taiwan to boost supplies to fight COVID-19. More than 490 employees donated over 200,000 cc of blood.
• Supporting seven hospitals, one school and Faculty of Medicine COVID-19 vaccination research efforts at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand.
• In 2022, Bridgestone India Private Ltd. donated to a total of 634 beneficiaries affected by the pandemic, to provide rehabilitation and recovery support. Around 150 beneficiaries from Rotary Clubs, Samta Foundation, government hospitals received masks and sanitary items and 484 beneficiaries from families affected by COVID-19 were supported with scholarships and continued education.
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  BSEMIA collaborated with other companies in organizing the purchase of personal protection items, including masks, test kits and gloves. In addition, the company purchased an analyzer for critical measurements and three cassettes for 450 test kits to fight the SARS-CoV-2 virus.