It is essential those organisations that have the resources use them efficiently and effectively to help both the local community and their communities back home. Such values lie at the heart of CRCC Asia’s social responsibility and sustainability ethos.

Local communities cement people together, providing emotional, social, and physical shelter for members. The power and influence of a community should never be underestimated in this respect and should always be encouraged.

Although the past decade has been one of great economic progress and development for China, the charity sector has stagnated. In 2011 the Charities Aid Foundation surveyed 153 countries to compile the World Giving Index. Such questions to interviewees included the amount of money donated, the amount of time volunteered, and whether or not those interviewed “helped a stranger”. Only 11% of those interviewed had ever donated to charity. This figure is approximately 5-7 times lower than those countries that rank in the top 50. Other answers were similarly poor and China was ultimately ranked 147th.

Despite China’s World Giving Index ranking CRCC Asia believe that China’s social structure of caring for the community can act as the foundations for a strong charitable sector. Through promoting and raising awareness of local charities, and through our involvement with them, we believe that we can help develop Beijing and Shanghai’s charity sectors.

Our own growth over the past year has provided us with fantastic resources be able to increase our commitment to social responsibility. In 2012 CRCC Asia will be initiating its Annual Community Day throughout the cities of Shanghai and Beijing, raising awareness of 20 local charities and holding a fundraising BBQ in both cities for other selected charities.

Both Shanghai and Beijing are also home to approximately 400,000 registered migrant children -many of whom are not able to enter the public school system. Both cities face mounting challenges to cope with the volume of migrant children. In some cases this has increased prejudices against them. Working with The Migrant School, Shanghai, and Hutong School, Beijing, CRCC Asia and our clients aim to help these children through our social and educational work programs every month.

China’s development has been one of determination over the past decades and CRCC Asia will strive to match this determination in its social responsibility to the local communities of Beijing and Shanghai.

CRCC Asia believes that the parent countries of the UK, USA and Australia should not be ignored either. For that reason we are dedicated to improving our economic sustainability for our prospective clients through our scholarship schemes:

• The CRCC Asia Scholarship gives prospective students the opportunity to participate in the China Internship Programme whose financial circumstances might otherwise prevent them from doing so.
• The British Council Scholarship provides for a student who is visually impaired or hard of hearing to obtain an internship placement with the British Council whilst CRCC Asia provides the funding for their programme.
• Cathay Pacific has also kindly donated annual complimentary flights for our top scholarship candidate.

CRCC Asia believes that financial constraints should not put prospective participants off from applying. We consistently look to enhance the economic sustainability of our programs through developing relationships with other organisations that can support our scholarships.

We were delighted to be able to offer 10 scholarships worldwide in September 2011 and are looking forward to developing such opportunities for future participants.

CRCC Asia are committed to protecting and developing the local communities here in Beijing and Shanghai and the communities back home in the UK, USA and Australia through programmes of social responsibility and economic sustainability. We look forward to continuing and developing our work in the future.

Yours sincerely,

Daniel Nivern, Edward Holroyd Pearce & Thomas Kirkwood.