Improved health, as measured by health indicators, is believed to contribute effectively toward the socio-economic advancement of any group, and “achieving good health and well-being” is also a prominent goal of the UN’s SDGs. However, it is always a huge challenge for society to make healthcare services affordable and accessible, especially in rural areas where people suffer due to lack of infrastructure.
To overcome these challenges, Bridgestone India has been active in achieving community healthcare advancement through various initiatives. As one example, Bridgestone India has launched Project Arogyam, which includes outreach doorstep healthcare services provided through a mobile healthcare unit (MHU) for the rural communities around its manufacturing units located at Chakan (Pune) and Kheda (Indore). Equipped with a team of experienced medical and para medical professionals, a stock of medicines and basic lab tests, these units cater to more than 41 villages and provide preventive as well as curative healthcare services. These services are further strengthened by a strong network and referral services. The initiative is focused on bringing quality health services to the doorstep, thus ensuring early detection and treatment, saving travel time and cost, easing the burden on availing services, making care more affordable and accessible, and thus positively impacting health supporting behaviors.
The MHU does not only serve as a medical consultation unit, but also facilitates health education on various common health issues such as COVID-19, malnutrition, anemia, water and sanitation, tuberculosis, and diarrhea. MHUs have built strong and amicable working relationships with the secondary health support systems in nearby villages and have witnessed significant improvement in menstrual hygiene, sanitation, and adolescent issues. A total of 1,032 sessions have been organized on various health-related topics and 9,284 community members have attended. In total, more than 50,000 community members have been reached through out-patient department and behavioral change communication awareness sessions.
B-Olympic is a user-friendly digital platform that collects all types of data on physical activities translated into kilometers (walking, running, cycling, swimming, weightlifting, shopping, gardening, etc.).
Each year, BSEMEA sets an ambitious challenge for itself to amass kilometers by doing physical and non-physical activities to reach a target, while encouraging a more active and healthier life style. Once the yearly target is achieved, a donation is made to BSEMEA’s 17 local charities dedicated to cancer prevention. In 2023, BSEMEA’s teammates achieved its target of 2.2 million kilometers. B-Olympic has managed to donate nearly EUR890,000 over the past six years to local charities, with EUR135,000 donated in 2023 alone. Teammates from Italy, Belgium, Hungary, Poland, and many other locations are participating in this initiative.
Bridgestone Bari employees donated 241 units of blood and/or plasma in 2023 and 247 units in 2022. Bridgestone, thanks to its donations, exceeds the percentage of blood donated by the population of some cities in Puglia.
Bridgestone Ireland teammates volunteered to paint, garden and tidy storage areas at Barretstown Camp for Seriously Ill Children. The Camp relies on outside volunteers to help with maintenance to prepare for their busy season, during which they provide respite breaks for over 10,000 children and their families. A total of 20 teammates volunteered eight hours each at the camp.
For nearly a decade, the Handi Free Riders (HFR) association has been aiding riders with disabilities, giving them a renewed lease on their passion for motorcycles. Established by a rider who experienced a severe motorcycle accident himself, the Handi Free Riders association’s mission is to empower disabled riders to revitalize their love for motorcycles and roar back onto the circuit. Bridgestone has been supporting the organization since 2016, with a contribution of €15,000 annually. Thanks to HFR, many riders return to their bikes after months or even years of perseverance. For many, getting back on their bikes is a journey of rediscovering life, hope, and triumph.
The Juegaterapia Foundation was born from the intention of humanizing the treatment of childhood cancer through the transformation of gray and unused hospital spaces into colorful and comfortable spaces for children. This year, Aitor Rey and María José Fernandez, representing Bridgestone Spain, participated in the inauguration of the Garden of the Niño Jesús Hospital. After many years of contributing to “El Jardín de mi Hospi” (the Garden of My Hospital), the hospital is now full of color and joy for children suffering from cancer. Currently, the Niño Jesús Hospital is in the study phase to launch a new project. Therefore, in 2023 we expanded our collaboration to include other hospitals in Spain. Specifically, we are moving to Malaga, focusing on the “El Valle Encantado” (The Enchanted Valley) project of the Maternal and Child Hospital of Malaga.
Bridgestone Sales Iberia conducted a raffle campaign led by company teammates. The money from the campaign was donated to the Juegaterapia Foundation. The money raised goes directly to support the Malaga Maternal and Child Hospital project. In addition, the Group has also collaborated in the organization of a solidarity Christmas lottery. Bridgestone and First Stop reserved a tenth share in the Christmas edition of Play Loterias, and for every purchase of a tenth share, €1 was donated to Juegaterpia. Through these campaigns, Bridgestone Sales Iberia itself has donated €1,000 while employees themselves raised €1,327.
This project is aimed at helping people with some form of disability become more self-reliant by providing required accessible, smart, customized and safer mobility solutions. It has reached 100 meritorious, eligible people with physical disabilities from financially disadvantaged families, enabling them to achieve their life goals through higher education and financial independence. Thus, it helps this section of society boost their confidence and achieve their targets by bridging the barriers. The project also extends substantial mentoring, guidance and support, tracking development and growth toward financial independence over a period of at least three years. It has also created a platform for the exchange of thoughts and support systems with like-minded people through socio-cultural events that also boost the confidence of participants.
