C&A Initiative for Social Development
We accept our responsibility to be a good corporate citizen.
We want to help people to help themselves make a difference to their lives. Our efforts hereby concentrate on supporting children, and we sponsor and finance related projects in many countries.

Following you will find some examples of C&A's commitment and contribution.

Projects in the supply markets
Already in 1996 C&A set up an organisation which works with local partners to support educational and health projects. Now the C&A Initiative for Social Development (C.I.S.D.) is reponsible for developing and implementing a variety of sustainable projects to help less fortunate people - now and in future. At the present time, over 90 projects have already been realised, whereby C&A provided the start-up financing and, where necessary, continues to financially support these projects in order to prompt local investment. 93 of these projects are now running permanently and finance themselves.

More than 480 children are housed in orphanages constructed with funds provided by C&A. Over 1850 children have been given new educational opportunities (many of these children being taken out of former illegal activities), and many more children have benefited from numerous health care projects established with help of C&A funding for equipment and qualified medical staff.
Vocational training is now provided in a number of developing countries, preparing local youth for future employability within their community.

Terre des hommes
In 1999 C&A joined a co-operation with "terre des hommes" in Germany. Terre des Hommes is an aid organisation focussing on children and supporting various projects in several countries. These include school and training projects.
We finance a joint project of a Vocational Training Centre for working children in Tirupur/India. this school provides vocational training and educational qualifications to help the children to develop for themselves.

Other Engagement
C&A takes its responsibilities as a good neighbour seriously, contributing in local societies in our retail markets. We recognise that customers and employees have expectations about how a reputable company can make a difference to the well-being of the community. There are many small and medium sized local initiatives all over Europe, close to our stores, employees and customers - often initiated by them.