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CAI foundations build on volunteer ethic
July 28,1995; Canadian FundRaiser
Canadian Airlines International (CAI) recently launched its new Canadian Airlines Foundation, after a year of research and development. Created to develop and maximize community investment programs, the Foundation is investing CAI's international route network, expertise and employee spirit in an attempt to help small business develop new international markets, help build a strong travel and tourism industry in Canada, provide hope to people in medical need, and to support its volunteer ethic in communities across Canada.
Volunteerism - the first pillar
Like everything that CAI does, its efforts began with its employees. Consequently the first pillar of the new Foundation focuses on volunteerism for its 16,000 active and 5,300 retired employees. Since 1991, CAI's Employee Charitable Donations Foundation (ECDF) has raised over a million dollars for charitable organizations in Canada. Its Proud Retirees Offering Positive Support (PROPS) group has volunteered its time and talent to numerous worthwhile projects in communities coast to coast.
Frequent flyer point donations
The second pillar builds on the Canadian Plus Foundation (CPF), a joint partnership between CAI, Ronald McDonald Children's Charities, the Children's Wish Foundation and Mission Air. Launched in 1990. The foundation has provided over 135 million donated frequent flyer points resulting in almost 5,000 trips to beneficiaries of medical diagnosis and treatment, or the granting of a special wish for a terminally ill child.
"We decided early in our program development that we would focus on making a real difference to a smaller number of beneficiaries, rather than creating a broader-based program that sounds great but may only drive minimal change," said Linda Thomas, Director, Corporate Communications and Distribution Systems, Canadian Airlines International Ltd. "We also strongly support the values that we uphold in our company - entrepreneurship, building a competitive country in the global marketplace and investing in employees through skills training."
Building an international suppliers network
Those criteria led to the third pillar; CAI's small business international expansion program. It sends qualified applicants to international destinations in order to build their network of suppliers or revenue customers, or to research new methods and processes relevant to their business. "We provide accommodation as part of our program, and will assist wherever possible with local contacts on the ground. We are working with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce on this, as beneficiaries are required to share the outcome of their offshore visits with others when they return to Canada." Thomas added.
Researching inbound tourism opportunities
The fourth pillar focuses on promoting Canada's inbound tourism efforts through tourism education training and job placement. Tourism accounts for 28.5 billion dollars and employs over 632,000 Canadians, more than almost any other industry. "We have introduced a competition in several tourism training programs across the country that will send students to international destinations to research potential inbound tourism opportunities for Canada. The information will be brought back and made available for all tourism industry partners, such as travel agents and hoteliers. At the same time the students will learn about these markets," Thomas said. As a second component of this program, CAI will fly tourism graduates from selected educational institutions to tourism job interviews anywhere in Canada. "We want to get our skilled workers employed and, if we have to, we'll fly them to where the jobs are." she said.
To receive more information about CAI Foundations and programs call 1-800-661-4549.