Education Tops Carlsberg’s Priorities

The efforts of Carlsberg Brewery Malaysia Bhd (Carlsberg) in education have been recognized in the Malaysia Book of Records. Carlsberg’s “Top Ten Charity Campaign”, a collaboration with local Chinese daily, Nanyang Siang Pau, and, later, China Press, is listed under the “Longest Running Chinese Charity Show in Malaysia” in the Malaysia Book of Records.

The campaign, which started in 1987, helps to raise funds for the advancement of Chinese education and the development of Chinese institutions through  charity concerts held at Chinese primary schools nationwide.

More than RM320 million has been raised for over 500 schools over the years. The funds have gone towards helping the schools to implement their development plans and improve their facilities. Carlsberg’s managing director, Soren Holm Jensen, was reported to have said, “We’re very proud.  We have been doing this for 22 years and we have set ourselves a target to reach RM500 milion by 2015.”

In 2008, the campaign managed to raise over RM17 million. According to Jensen, the event helps highlight Carlsberg Malaysia as a caring corporate citizen rather than as a beer company.

“Because the event is held at schools, we are careful to promote the event as Carlsberg Malaysia the company rather than Carlsberg the beer brand. It is a charity programme, not a beer campaign and no beer is served,” he was reported to have said.

Notwithstanding the current economic downturn, Jensen says he is optimistic about the amount of donations expected.

“It will be interesting to see if donations would be equally handsome in tough times. But we feel that helping promote education is important, regardless of the economic climate,” he said.

According to Jensen, Carlsberg has no plans to cut back on its CSR activities. An extension of Carlsberg’s efforts to promote education is its Carlsberg Hua Zong Education Fund, an interest-free study loan sponsored by the company in collaboration with the Federation of Chinese Associations of Malaysia.

Furthermore, Carlsberg has plans for more sustainable initiatives that benefit the Indian community.

“We have had several one-off programmes specifically for the Indian community but nothing long-term. We are looking at something more sustainable like our Top Ten Campaign that is done annually,” Jensen says.

He adds that the company is hoping to attract corporate partners to help realise its vision of assisting the Indian community.