Under CSR, Mercedes-Benz India partners with Laureus Sport

Roland Folger, MD & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India and Andy Griffiths, Global Director, Laureus Sport 

Mercedes-Benz partners with Laureus Sport for Good in India; underlines its Corporate Social commitment with ‘Mercedes for India’ philosophy

• Mercedes-Benz India teams up with Laureus Sport For Good to fund two sport-based programmes in India
• Partnership aims to improve the lives of children and young people in disadvantaged communities using sport as a tool for positive social change
• Mercedes-Benz India to also support various social initiatives under its ‘Mercedes for India’ philosophy, influencing education and environmental sustenance

Mumbai: Mercedes-Benz, the most celebrated luxury automobile brand in India, today chartered a new path to contribute back to society. Mercedes-Benz has associated with Laureus Sport for Good in India, using the power of sport to help underprivileged children overcome social challenges. The new partnership will see Mercedes-Benz funding two Laureus-supported programmes in the country, OSCAR and YUWA.

The collaboration will see the two sport for development programmes located in Mumbai and Jharkhand benefit from support to reach more children, empower and develop young women and girls, using sport to encourage themselves to reach their potential in life.
The announcement continues Mercedes-Benz India’s philosophy of taking a social responsibility lead, promoting education as a key pillar of societal engagement and development.

Laureus Sport for Good supports sport for development programmes which improve the lives of children and young people in disadvantaged communities. The organization helps the youth achieve the best with their given potential focusing on women and girls to promote equality, empowerment and safety.

Roland Folger, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India commented on the association, “As inventors of the automobile, Mercedes-Benz has been creating mobility solutions and driving positive change in the lives of people across the world. As a responsible corporate citizen, at Mercedes-Benz we have a philosophy of social contribution, and call it ‘beyond business’. Pursuing this philosophy, we have decided to associate with our global partner Laureus Sport for Good in India, and use the power of sport as a social development tool. Believing in the ideology of creating a better future for everyone, Mercedes-Benz firmly supports creation of such opportunities for children and adolescents who have the potential to make the world a better place. As we grow in this dynamic country, we are glad to partner with Laureus and support OSCAR and YUWA, supporting them in making a positive change in the lives of children and young people.”
Sean Fitzpatrick, Chairman of Laureus World Sports Academy, said: “This is a major boost for the work Laureus does in India and the partnership with Mercedes-Benz India will have a dramatic effect on how many young people we are able to help. We are delighted to support two new promising programmes OSCAR and YUWA which will have a deep impact on the girls in these communities and further prove how sport can change lives.”
Through the partnership, Laureus Sport for Good will offer its expertise in the Sport for Development sector, assisting OSCAR and YUWA with research, evaluation and support both organizations in their efforts to use sport as a tool to end violence, discrimination and disadvantage among Indian youth.

OSCAR and YUWA will be developing research proposals which would serve to develop knowledge, understanding and best practices in the sport for the development of the community.

Ashok Rathod, Founder and Director, OSCAR Foundation commented, “We are very excited to work with two great organizations like Mercedes and Laureus sport for good. For our work to be recognized by them is a great achievement for the OSCAR Foundation. Coming from low income families, there are many serious issues that young girls are faced with today, gender inequality, child marriage and the high risk of being sent to work at a very young age, at the expense of their education. We know that sport has the power for social change, working across 8 slum communities in Mumbai, this partnership is going to tackle these issues and give 240 underprivileged girls the confidence and life skills needed to complete their education and become active roles models for their own community development.”

Mercedes-Benz supported programmes through OSCAR (Organisation for Social Change Awareness and Responsibility):

OSCAR’s principle aim is to deliver life skills training through the medium of sport to girls from economically and socially challenged communities. With support from Laureus and Mercedes-Benz, OSCAR propose to support this aim by upscaling their girls’ football and life skills programme across Mumbai. This project educates girls about key social and community issues through playing football and participating in specially designed interactive games.

This support will allow OSCAR to grow its programme from one hub in South Mumbai to four new slum communities around the city:

• Mahalaxmi |Mahim West (Dharavi) |Jogeshwari (Bharat Nagar) | Thane

Mercedes-Benz supported programmes through YUWA:

YUWA uses girls’ team sports as a platform for bringing social development in rural India. Utilizing the power of football to teach girls key life skills, YUWA operates in Jharkhand. Through an innovative school and education based methodology, the organization provides key leadership opportunities which enable the girls to take a responsibility for each other as a group. This in result directly leads to increased attendance at school as well as increased health outcomes. Another key focus of YUWA is to ensure that the girls are not married at an early age, providing the opportunity to continue education and build a bright future for them.

Apart from funding infrastructural expenses, the partnership will also enable YUWA to continue providing the vital educational support through the on-site school. This school will ensure that the girls who participate are able to make a better future for themselves.
Through the association with Laureus, Mercedes-Benz India reiterates its commitment towards society and its philosophy which is beyond business. 

Laureus

Laureus is a universal movement that celebrates the power of sport to bring people together as a force for good. Laureus is composed of three core elements - the Laureus World Sports Academy, Laureus Sport for Good and the Laureus World Sports Awards - which collectively celebrate sporting excellence and use sport as the means to promote social change.

The first Patron of Laureus was Nelson Mandela. At the inaugural Laureus World Sports Awards in 2000, he said: “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair.” This has become the philosophy of Laureus; the driving force behind its work.

The members of the Laureus World Sports Academy are: Giacomo Agostini, Marcus Allen, Franz Beckenbauer, Boris Becker, Ian Botham, Sergey Bubka, Cafu, Bobby Charlton, Sebastian Coe, Nadia Comaneci, Yaping Deng, Marcel Desailly, Kapil Dev, Mick Doohan, David Douillet, Rahul Dravid, Luis Figo, Emerson Fittipaldi, Sean Fitzpatrick (Chairman), Dawn Fraser, Cathy Freeman, Tanni Grey-Thompson, Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Mika Häkkinen, Tony Hawk, Maria Höfl-Riesch, Mike Horn, Miguel Indurain, Michael Johnson, Kip Keino, Franz Klammer, Tegla Loroupe, Dan Marino, Yao Ming, Edwin Moses, Nawal El Moutawakel, Li Na, Robby Naish, Ilie Nastase, Martina Navratilova, Alexey Nemov, Jack Nicklaus, Brian O’Driscoll, Alessandro Del Piero, Gary Player, Morné du Plessis, Hugo Porta, Carles Puyol, Raúl, Steve Redgrave, Vivian Richards, Monica Seles, Mark Spitz, Sachin Tendulkar, Daley Thompson, Alberto Tomba, Steve Waugh, Katarina Witt, Li Xiaopeng and Yang Yang.

The Laureus Academy Members volunteer their services as global ambassadors for Laureus Sport for Good, which was set up to promote the use of sport as a tool for social change. Laureus Sport for Good addresses social challenges through a worldwide programme of sports related community development initiatives. Since its inception, Laureus has raised over €100 million for projects which have helped to improve the lives of millions of young people. The mission of Laureus Sport for Good is to use sport as a means to combat some of the toughest social challenges facing young people today such as violence, discrimination and disadvantage.

The Laureus World Sports Awards is the premier global sports awards honouring the greatest sportsmen and women across all sports each year. The winners are selected by the ultimate sports jury – 60 members of the Laureus World Sports Academy, the living legends of sport honouring the great athletes of today. The Awards are presented at an annual Awards Ceremony, attended by global figures from sport and entertainment, which is broadcast to 160 countries and territories.

The Awards continue to support Laureus Sport for Good by showcasing the incredible work it does with athletes and partners to transform the lives of individuals and promoting to a global audience the power of sport as a development tool to combat challenging social issues.

Laureus was founded by its Patrons Richemont and Daimler and is supported by its Global Partners Mercedes-Benz and IWC Schaffhausen.

Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz is the inventor of the automobile – and has been passionately shaping its future since 1886. As pioneers in automotive engineering, it is both our inspiration and responsibility to continue the tradition of the brand with trailblazing technologies and high-quality products. Like no other trademark in the automotive world, Mercedes-Benz appeals to both the hearts and minds of its customers. We give our very best for customers who expect the very best. Since the founding fathers Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz, our corporate history has been one of innovation and pioneering achievements. Many technical innovations that are nowadays standard in automobiles first entered the market in a Mercedes-Benz. This is the basis for our claim to leadership in automotive engineering. The brand stands for Modern Luxury, and enjoys an outstanding reputation for quality, safety, comfort, design and comprehensive, sustainable mobility.

IWC Schaffhausen

With a clear focus on technology and development, the Swiss watch manufacturer IWC Schaffhausen has been producing timepieces of lasting value since 1868. The company has gained an international reputation based on a passion for innovative solutions and technical ingenuity. One of the world’s leading brands in the luxury watch segment, IWC crafts masterpieces of haute horlogerie at their finest, combining supreme precision with exclusive design. As an ecologically and socially responsible company, IWC is committed to sustainable production, supports institutions around the globe in their work with children and young people and maintains partnerships with organizations dedicated to climate and environmental protection.