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Activities related to education

In Japan, Bridgestone Corporation (Bridgestone) has offered the Eco Learning Program since 2004. It was renewed as the Environment Hands-On Learning Program in 2011 and continues to provide opportunities for students to learn the difficulties and importance of balancing business and the environment through environmental initiatives in production. Since 2020, Bridgestone has also been running the Global Communication Skill Program, which focuses on the importance and challenges of communicating effectively with people from different backgrounds, cultures and customs.

In 2023, the Environment Hands-On Learning Program was conducted 23 times and the Global Communication Skill Program was held 10 times. A total of 2,584 students from elementary and junior high schools all over the nation participated in these events.

At Bridgestone Indonesia, a new approach to apprenticeships and vocational training is helping young people find a rewarding career path.

In 2021 Bridgestone took a new approach to its talent acquisition strategy:

• Finding committed young people to replace the natural attrition of retirees in the workforce.
• Committing to the talent development of new hires to meet the company’s standards and expectations.
• Pioneering an Integrated Apprenticeship Program in Tire Manufacturing in Indonesia.

BE MANTAP (Bridgestone Manufacturing Apprenticeship Program) is a certified one-year independent apprenticeship endorsed by the Ministry of Manpower. Qualification for the BE MANTAP course has strict criteria covering physical tests, assessments of potential and interviews. In 2023 this new strategy was given a boost by the opening of a dedicated Vocational Training Centre (VTC).

Up to 80% of apprentice time is dedicated to “on the job” training alongside experienced and certified mentors. In addition to the engineering course, the VTC provides safety and quality training. On completion of the course, apprentices get professional certification to put them on a career path at Bridgestone or elsewhere.

Bridgestone’s talent and education strategy covers three levels:

• BE MANTAP – the main apprenticeship program for job-seeking high school or vocational school graduates.
• BE INTERN – offering work experience to university students.
• BE TEAM – an apprenticeship program aimed at bachelor and diploma graduates seeking jobs in industry at administration and technician level.

In 2023, the program saw:

• 48 BE MANTAP apprentices qualifying as operators; following 25 in 2022, with 60 planned for 2024.
• 20 BE INTERN students; following 9 in 2021, 12 in 2022, with 32 planned for 2024.
• 14 BE TEAM apprentices; with 10 planned for 2024.

Additionally, Bridgestone’s recognition by the International Labour Organization for being a company with a structured apprenticeship program hopefully will create a model to inspire other companies to adopt a similar approach.

Apprentice Muhammad Faisal Fidriawan enthusiastically endorses BE MANTAP: “My competence improved but I also found a sense of responsibility and purpose that I had never had before.”

Bridgestone Americas, Inc. (BSAM) is addressing the nationwide shortage of automotive technicians in the United States by providing training on the next generation of automotive maintenance technology and supporting non-profit organizations helping students complete their technical education. Working with organizations like Techforce Foundation, BSAM addresses the challenges facing many young people seeking to enter the workforce. Since partnering with Techforce Foundation in 2022, the industry has seen dramatic changes. Most recently, in 2023, Techforce reported that the number of technicians employed in the automotive industry increased for the first time since 2018. Furthermore, the number of students completing their auto technician educational program increased by 17%.

BSAM’s Driving Great Futures partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) aims to help families overcome the challenge of getting to and from clubs by providing reliable transportation. Since 2015, BSAM has raised over 23 million USD for BGCA, largely through customer donations across the BSAM nationwide network of more than 2,200 tire and automotive service centers.

At the core of the program are transportation grants, which are used to purchase BGCA passenger vans equipped with Bridgestone fuel-efficient tires, or for maintenance and repairs of existing club vehicles. BSAM retail stores also donate company time to service existing BGCA vehicles and volunteer at clubs in the local community.

In 2023, BSAM’s donations reached nearly 3.0 million USD and were used to:

• Purchase 16 new club vans for 16 different clubs.
• Provide $100,000 technology grants to 3 clubs.

Established in 2003, Bridgestone Corporate University (BCU) provides education and training opportunities to employees, suppliers, local citizens and other stakeholders. The center was opened in 2015 to foster specific training and education aligned with the Argentinian curriculum. Since opening, the center has spent a total of 2,200,000 hours on training, while more than 540 people have graduated from BCU and over 17,500 stakeholders have received training.

Traineeships for high school science students were conducted at the Bridgestone EMEA Technology Center in Rome, offering an inside look at careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and confirming the center’s commitment to expanding education and training opportunities to develop job and life skills. The initiative is part of the path for soft skills and orientation program conducted by the Italian Ministry of Education. In 2023, two sessions were held at the Technology Center with the participation of 30 students and the involvement of 75 employees.

During 2023, the Bari Plant hosted high school students for sustainability lessons, gave guided tours and offered the opportunity to participate in work experience programs. The plant also became a member of the Interclass Council of the Faculty of Economics in Bari and gave lessons on sustainability to university students.

In 2023, Bridgestone South Africa expanded community support beyond the Brits area by planting trees and creating food gardens in Tembisa and Cape Town. In July, 25 Bridgestone volunteers dedicated a day at the Peter Zongwane Primary School for Mandela Day, planting fruit and indigenous trees and establishing a vegetable garden. Goodie bags with treats and messages were distributed to 1,950 students. In September, 10 members of the Bridgestone Cape Town team planted trees at the Includid Group Home for individuals with intellectual disabilities. On World Food Day, 25 volunteers visited Thuto Ke Matla High School, delivering 1,900 goodie bags, planting trees, and creating a garden to impart agricultural knowledge and skills, promoting a viable livelihood. Bridgestone's initiatives aim to foster inclusive education and healthier communities.

Bridgestone (China) Investment Co., Ltd. collaborated with Zhonggu Gongyi, a local charity organization, donating laptops for a “Green IT Classroom programme.” Employee volunteers assisted staff from the Zhonggu Gongyi in refurbishing these donated “waste” laptops. The refurbished laptops were then donated to a school in a rural area of Yunnan Province. They were used to set up the school’s computer lab, to help equip underserved students with digital literacy skills. The activity, which has now been ongoing for three years, has seen a 100% regeneration ratio and the participation of 107 volunteers internally and externally. It has included the donation of 239 laptops and 135 laptops recycled (extending their service life by 3-5 years), all of which has benefited more than 1,000 students and teachers.

Bridgestone employees volunteer with children who have lost their parents or guardians in the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami. Led by the Ochanomizu Academic Association, volunteers spend quality time building meaningful relationships with these children. Bridgestone also provides its recreational facilities for the association's camps and other activities. In 2023, after a four-year hiatus, the summer and winter camps resumed. A total of 68 people; 15 children and staffs, including university student volunteers, participated in the summer camp. It was a pleasant surprise to witness the growth of the children since their last meeting four years ago. To commemorate the reunion, the agenda was adjusted to allow participants more free time for unrestricted activities.

The Bridgestone Puente San Miguel Plant collaborated with the Alfonso Líbano Firestone Foundation in the organization of two circuits in Cantabria where students promoted teamwork and innovation through the design and racing of electric cars. In 2023, the Green Power Circuit was celebrated on May 7 in Torrelavega, hosting teams of students aged between 11 and 25 years old from different educational centers in Asturias, the Basque Country, Cantabria, Galicia and Catalonia. A total of 14 teams competed in Torrelavega in the third edition of the ‘Greenpower-Bridgestone’ electric and ecological vehicle circuit.

During the event, a road safety promotion campaign was carried out among the participants to raise awareness about the importance of maintaining responsible behavior on the roads.

Bridgestone UK provides teams of employee volunteers to maintain a nature reserve that is used by a local secondary school as an Eco classroom to learn about flora and fauna. The reserve is also used by dementia patients and their caretakers. It is a place where they can go to be in a safe and quiet space. There are over 800 students at the school that use the space. The number of dementia patients varies each month but over the course of a year approximately 100 will visit. Over 80 volunteers from Bridgestone have been involved over the last few years.

As part of the Bridgestone E8 commitment to make our society more inclusive, Bridgestone MEA partnered with La Main Douce, an NGO dedicated to children with special needs, to organize a Road Safety Village for children with disabilities such as autism, down syndrome, and other learning disorders. The event was held on September 19 in Casablanca, Morocco. The purpose of this activity was to teach the children the basics of road awareness through three workshops: road safety, tire recycling and a Montessori workshop. Medical professionals also participated by sharing their expertise and insights into caring for these young individuals.

For Bridgestone Australia and New Zealand (BSANZ), attracting the right people to join its business is vital. Through Explore Careers, BSANZ now has the opportunity to connect with millions of high school students across Australia and New Zealand at a key stage in their career planning journeys. Explore Careers is the region’s leading careers and employment program, and is supported by the Australian Government and the New Zealand Government. It offers students, career advisors and parents ongoing information about career pathways and partnering employers.

BSANZ’s partnership with Explore Careers adds to other important Bridgestone programs that support youth employment and the development of a sustainable, skilled workforce. These programs include its Youth Jobs PaTH program, Bridgestone’s Mechanical Apprenticeship program and tire fitter traineeship. All of these programs not only help the youth in Bridgestone’s community upskill and increase their career opportunities, but also help address its business needs as BSANZ builds up a talent pool that addresses shortages in skilled labor.

The BSIN CSR team collaborated with the Raya School in Bekasi, Indonesia, which specializes in marketing and IT services, to give digital marketing training to five women from the collective that makes Kebaya, a traditional Indonesian costume, and three young male farmers. The two-day session focused on teaching online sales skills for their mangrove products, which include syrup, dodol (a sticky snack), sticks, crackers, chips, and other local snacks. The skills focus included digital and content marketing, advertising creation and strategy, and seller optimization. The training aimed to expand market opportunities for the participants—and grow their income—as online sales to that point had been limited to social media such as Facebook and Instagram. Facilitators from the Raya School were joined by BSIN employees, who volunteered their time to support the program.

To address this issue and empower rural and tribal children attending government schools, Bridgestone has established a multi-activity centre at the Achana School to engage and empower the students in basic life skills. In addition, BSID has also adopted six Anganwadi centers under its cluster development initiatives.

These facilities will act as village resource centres for 468 students (130 Achana School students, 338 Anganwadi students, and other stakeholders such as village panchayats and health and education department officials).

The objectives of these centers are:

• To impart basic computer skills and knowledge to children from lower socioeconomic groups.
• To achieve digital literacy in rural areas and improve reading and writing skills.
• To provide learning and reading opportunities through the library and enhance communication skills through storytelling/reading sessions.
• To provide opportunities for mental stimulation and sports.
• To create safe, nurturing spaces for students and increase their daily attendance in schools.

This initiative will also include a significant amount of employee volunteering, which will aid the team in the holistic development of students and adolescent groups as well as ensure the integration of diversity and inclusion in all our initiatives.