Rolls-Royce response to the Chinese earthquake

Rolls-Royce plc is contributing in a number of ways to relief efforts following the earthquake that hit Wenchuan County in China’s Sichuan Province on May 12.

The company has a significant presence in China, where it has 245 employees. In response to the earthquake, it has activated a disaster relief fund, which was also used for the Asian tsunami, to collect contributions from its 38,800 employees worldwide. Donating through the relief fund means there is no currency exchange rate loss, ensuring that more money goes to help survivors.

Rolls-Royce is committing a minimum of $250,000 towards relief efforts, including matching employee contributions. The company’s donations will in part be directed to the China Red Cross and will also fund rebuilding projects in the affected areas directly.

The homes of families of four Rolls-Royce employees who live in Sichuan Province were either destroyed or badly damaged. The company’s Chinese employees have launched their own fund to help these families rebuild their homes or find somewhere else to live. Rolls-Royce is contributing another $10,000 to this fund.