The
Large companies often talk of the importance of corporate social responsibility. The way, the Norwegian Anders Sundt Jensen, Managing Director of Laureus and Head of Brand Communications Mercedes-Benz Cars, sees it should not be just one
of many targets but a priority aim. “It is part of a company’s remit to contribute towards a better world. The tense economic situation means that many people are living through a time of great anxiety.
Laureus means far more than putting on celebrations like the Laureus Sports Awards. We act out of conviction. We need to get this message across,
and for that we need great examples like the sporting legends in the Laureus Academy, names such as
Dr. Edwin Moses, Michael Johnson, Boris Becker and others, who work voluntarily under the Laureus banner.
One example for the activities in South Afrika: Rugby legend Morné du Plessis works there for the foundation. Schools do not teach regular physical education classes, and the streets are a vicious downward spiral of poverty, violence, drugs and disease.
Disadvantaged children in South Africa will only really be free when they have a real chance of survival. To address this issue, for example a leadership program has been developed that links the game with AIDS education and life skills courses. It’s not enough to score on the court to get the team to the top of the league table: players also have to be able to give correct answers to important social questions. How
do you protect yourself against HIV? How damaging
is alcohol? What are the five most important
food groups?
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South Africa’s national hero, Nobel Peace Prize-winner and Laureus patron Nelson Mandela, recognized as early as 2000 that social change could be brought about faster with the help of sports. His idea became the Laureus Good For Sport Foundation’s mission statement: “Sport has the power to change the world. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair.” The Foundation does this every day,
around the world.