With a presence in twenty six countries, the Group’s broad international spread has resulted in a diverse range of people, cultures and lifestyles that enrich our Company.

By encouraging our employees to engage in the issues which affect their local environment,we can target funds and assistance more effectively as well as develop a sense of personal involvement.’Getting involved’ also helps employees gain a better understanding of the communities in which they live which in turn helps us to better serve our local Customers.

Since 2004 MOENCO, our distribution business in Ethiopia, has been a major supporter of Africa’s biggest road race that aims to raise the profile of Ethiopian Athletes and “bring the world to Ethiopia”. The Toyota Great Ethiopian 10K Run was held in Addis Ababa in November 2007, attracting a record 30,000 participants.

Inchcape Fleet Solutions, the Portsmouth based vehicle leasing and fleet management company, provided vehicle aid to the British Red Cross by presenting a Lexus RX 400h to the charity for its UK emergency response vehicle fleet.

Inchcape Retail UK supports BEN, the motor industry benevolent fund. This support is shown through financial commitment, employee time commitment and various fundraising initiatives over the year. Employees also contribute to a number of charities and trusts throughout the year that are of personal interest.

Inchcape Poland has been participating in a charity programme called “Hot-Meal-A-Day”. To each BMW Service invoice we add, with our customers’ consent, 5 zł (approximately £1), equivalent to two hot meals. Money collected is transferred to the Polish Foundation for CSR, which feeds children in the poorest regions of the country.

Inchcape’s Head Office donate to one nominated charity each year through a variety of fund-raising events and employee collections. The charity-of-the-year in 2007 was St Christopher’s Hospice, a charity established to provide skilled and compassionate palliative care of the highest quality. St Christopher’s received over £7,500 in 2007 from employee initiatives and fundraising activities.

Since its introduction in 2001, our business in Brunei, NBT Sdn Bhd has sponsored Projek Ikan Pusu (PIP) the Brunei Darussalam National Football Development Program which aims to educate children through football. Co-organised by the Ministry of Education Brunei and the Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (BAFA), it is supported by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.

Toyota Hellas,Greece,supports the ‘Papammakaristos’ Institution.The organisation provides protection and training for children with intellectual and cognitive disabilities such as autismand for those with communication and behavioural problems.Toyota Hellas purchased equipment for the development of a special care unit dedicated to the children’s therapy,relaxation and general health.

For several years,Crown Motors Limited (CML) in Hong Kong has organised the Lexus Club’s popular Lexus Charity Golf Days to raise funds for the China Literacy Foundation Limited (CLFL), which seeks to provide schooling for very poor children in rural China. Donations by Lexus owners,matched by CML,have contributed towards the construction of the Cuihua Centre Primary School in Kunming,in China’s southwestYunnan Province.