Volkswagen announces two-year partnership with Peopleforbikes.org and Bikes Belong
Our movement is taking a major step forward today. Leading auto company Volkswagen of America announced its sponsorship of Peopleforbikes.org and our parent organization, the Bikes Belong Foundation. VW will donate significant funding to support our key initiatives to improve bicycling in the U.S., including the PFB movement and the Safe Routes to School National Partnership, which is dedicated to getting more kids safely biking and walking to school.
We are working with VW as part of its Think Blue initiative, which encompasses all of the company’s efforts to promote eco-friendly mobility and encourage environmentally conscious behavior. VW has a history of working to improve its sustainability. Its factory in Chattanooga is the only auto manufacturing plant in the world to be LEED Platinum Certified. The VW factory in Wolfsburg, Germany has 5,500 bikes for employees to use for transportation.
“Volkswagen’s commitment to environmental sustainability extends beyond our fuel-efficient vehicles and company practices,” said Jonathan Browning, president and CEO, Volkswagen Group of America. “We are extremely proud to be partnering with Bikes Belong to encourage biking and ensure that people of all ages can safely share the road, saving fuel and reducing pollution and traffic congestion.”
This sponsorship will considerably increase the reach of our efforts to make bicycling better and safer in the U.S. We’ll be able to unite more bicyclists through the PFB movement, help more children safely ride or walk to school, and increase the number of innovative bicycle facilities in cities across the country. Mainstream support like this is huge for bicycling in America.
Right now we are nearly halfway to our goal of uniting 1 million bicyclists. Thanks to VW, we might even reach our goal by the end of the year. We’re truly thankful to be working with a forward-thinking company that recognizes bicycles as a solution. Look for great things to come from this partnership in 2012.
