Volkswagen and Audi today announced that they will donate €1 million ($1.42 million) each for humanitarian aid to the Japanese people affected by the earthquake and tsunami that devastated the Asian nation on March 11. Porsche also said it will offer €500,000 ($707,000) to assist people affected by the natural disaster. Aside from these contributions, the VW Group has announced the launch of a donation campaign among its employees.
The VW and Audi donations will be sent via organizations such as the German Red Cross.
"This week, we will be calling on the workforce to contribute to a major donation campaign. Preparations are already well underway. The strong feeling of solidarity demonstrated by our colleagues is overwhelming. We are standing shoulder to shoulder with the people of Japan who have experienced such indescribable suffering," said Bernd Osterloh, president of the VW Group works council.
The Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche donations come after those of most major car manufacturers, from Japan and the rest of the world. The first to donate were Japanese giants Toyota, Nissan and Honda, with $3.75 million each, followed by several other automakers including, but not limited to, BMW (€1 million), Hyundai-Kia ($1.3 million), Renault (€0.5 million), Mercedes-Benz (€2 million) and Fiat Group (€100,000).
By Dan Mihalascu
