DHL Express UAE, part of Deutsche Post DHL, the world's leading postal and logistics group, yesterday marked Global Volunteer Day 2012 with employees taking part in a special event for pupils from Al Noor Training Centre for Children with Special Needs, as part of its global drive to give back to local communities and to inculcate a passion for volunteerism among employees.

Over 100 members of the team demonstrated true charitable spirit as they got creative with 35 children from the Centre at Café Céramique in Jumeirah yesterday, for a fun afternoon of pot painting porcelain bowls, cups and mugs to produce their very own ceramic masterpieces. 

The completed pieces of art will be sold internally during a DHL office auction and all proceeds will be donated to Al Noor Training Centre for Children with Special Needs.

Frank-Uwe Ungerer, Country Manager for DHL Express in theUAE, said: "As the global logistics leader with a long standing presence in the Middle East, DHL is committed to giving back to the communities in which we operate. As part of this, we are proud to sustain a long-term relationship with Al Noor Training Centre for Children with Special Needs, which works endlessly to nurture up to 280 children across the UAE by supporting their development into the wider community."

Ungerer added: "With a network of around 800 employees in the UAE, we believe that people are our greatest asset and it is important to us that we give them a great place to work, for them to feel satisfied and rewarded in their roles. As part of this, we actively encourage employees to participate in community efforts, as well as inspire the spirit of volunteerism, and Global Volunteer Day provides an enormous opportunity to encourage our employees to make a positive impact on our society."

Isphana Al Khatib- Director of Al Noor Training Centre for Children with Special Needs, commented: "The interactive day held at Cafe Ceramic for the Al Noor children and DHL members was fun and enjoyed by all. DHL has been supporting Al Noor on numerous levels since last year. Al Noor greatly values this partnership that has contributed to our ability to continue providing quality service to the Special Needs community in the UAE"

Sustainability is also an integral part of DHL's corporate culture and the company's commitment to deliver to its Corporate Responsibility strategy via its three programs - GoGreen, GoHelp and GoTeach.

Introduced in Asia Pacific in 2008, Volunteer Day has expanded into Americas, Middle East, Africa and Europe over the years, and continues to build on its success by involving more employees than ever before. In 2011, the initiative was rolled out globally with tremendous success - 60,000 volunteers in over 130 countries and territories participated in more than 600 community programs.

From 6 to 16 September this year, Deutsche Post DHL offices around the world are participating in many diverse community projects in support of various local causes. These programs deliver to the company's three Corporate Responsibility programs - GoTeach (championing education), GoGreen (protecting the environment) and GoHelp (delivering help after natural disasters).