TAIPEI, Taiwan, May 30, 2011 – FedEx Express, one of the world’s largest express transportation company and a subsidiary of FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX), together with Fubon Charity Foundation (FCF), today announced the launch of the 2011 FedEx/Fubon Goodwill Delivery Campaign – “Delivering Taiwan’s Green Pioneers.”
The annual FedEx/Fubon Goodwill Delivery Campaign has benefited hundreds of underprivileged schoolchildren since 2007, with FedEx delivering much needed learning resources to students in remote-area schools. This year’s “Delivering Taiwan’s Green Pioneers” program will see FedEx delivering 1,000 sets of environmental education materials to 100 elementary schools in remote locations in Taiwan.
In 2010, Taiwan became one of the first countries to call for mandatory environmental education by passing the Environmental Education Act. However, according to a recent survey conducted by FedEx and FCF, 96 percent of remote-area schools in Taiwan do not have adequate resources to implement environmental education modules.
489 schools covering 25 rural counties participated in the survey. While 99.5 percent supported the government’s mandatory environmental education initiative, which will come into effect on June 5, 93 percent faced challenges in implementing due to a “lack of adequate teaching resources and manpower.” Fifty percent of the schools said they “lack experienced teaching staff” and 45 percent indicated that they had “limited funding to support a teaching model beyond a basic curriculum.”
Through the “Delivering Taiwan’s Green Pioneers” program, FedEx will donate 1,000 sets of primary school teaching guides to help remote-area schools implement an environmental curriculum. The teaching materials, developed by FedEx and the Chinese Society of Environmental Education, focus on important current topics like balancing globalization and international trade with carbon emissions reduction. These teaching materials were first introduced last year as part of the FedEx We Deliver Green! Classroom initiative, one of the first corporate-sponsored environmental education programs in Taiwan.
FedEx Taiwan Managing Director Michael Chu said: “FedEx is committed to providing global connections while minimizing our environmental impact. We are constantly looking to introduce responsible environmental practices in our daily operations, as well as engaging our communities to maximize our efforts. By developing and delivering these teaching resources, we hope to plant the seeds of environmental conservation in the minds of Taiwan’s youth, so that they can become the guardian of our future.”
Fubon Charity Foundation Chairman Tsai Ming-Chun said: “Fubon has long been committed to improving the education conditions of children in remote areas of Taiwan. Our latest survey results show that a lack of resources is a major impediment in implementing environmental education in Taiwan. By working with FedEx, we are able to help more schools undertake this important initiative and spread the message of environmental protection among our youth.”
Five members of the FedEx-sponsored Chinese Taipei Basketball Team also participated in the program kick-off ceremony as an ambassador of the FedEx We Deliver Green! Classroom program.
In the coming months, FedEx will also contribute to bringing environmental education by deploying trained employee volunteers to teach the lessons at various schools in Taiwan.