For Bonn. In Bonn.

Deutsche Post DHL has been the lead sponsor of the International Beethoven Festival in Bonn since 2004. In addition to our financial commitment, we offer a unique cultural program free of charge in our Post Tower Lounge during the entire festival. Our employees, locals from the city and the surrounding region, as well as everyone who loves good music are invited to enjoy a wide range of concerts. Many of which will be specially devoted to giving  younger musicians the chance to perform on stage.

In addition, we support the festival's opening event where pupils from local schools showcase their interpretations of classical music on a number of open-air stages in Bonn's city centre.

Music brings together people from different social backgrounds and is a precious contribution to cultural life. That is why music and musical education became key elements in the Group's community investment program for Bonn.

In addition to its long-term commitment to the Beethoven Festival, Deutsche Post DHL together with the Pop Academy Baden-Württemberg has launched a competition called "XpressYourself" which is targeted at schools in Bonn and its surrounding areas. This initiative uses the popular genre of rock and pop music to develop young people's creative and artistic abilities, musical interest and education. The competition invites young people with all types of musical abilities and interests to participate.

Since its launch, the songwriter competition received an overwhelming response. Each year, the panel of expert judges is impressed by the diversity, innovation, wit and countless creative elements of the about 60 contributions from bands and solo artists in the age of 10 to 19 years. Styles range from rock and pop to rap and hip hop songs.

Schools attended by the winning students can win a total of EUR16,000 to purchase musical instruments and equipment. This provides long-term support for musical education as the musical instruments benefit several generations of students. Moreover, the winning musicians receive professional coaching sessions from Pop Academy experts, with all costs covered by Deutsche Post DHL.

Education is one of our major focus areas within our Corporate Responsibility strategy. We support a variety of projects in Bonn:

• "Away game for Academics" with the University of Bonn   Selected students attend a two-day workshop in which they receive professional training on how to apply for a job. Additionally, they obtain information on job opportunities in the logistics sector.

• "Perspective Economy" with the University of Bonn
  Young employees of Deutsche Post DHL share their career experience and thereby support and expand the services of the University's Student Counseling Center. The project targets students who need career advice and simultaneously offers Group employees opportunities for voluntary work.

• Sponsorship for Bertolt-Brecht Comprehensive School in Bonn-Tannenbusch
  Activities focus on career planning, such as job application and methods training as well as internship placement.
  
  
• Support for Helmholtz High School in Bonn-Duisdorf
  Employees of our Inhouse Consulting and the Verbraucherzentrale NRW organize a study group in which students learn general economic principles and improve their overall knowledge in the field of finance.

• "Paper Angels"
  We have partnered with the City of Bonn and the Oroverde Rainforest Foundation on a project that teaches fifth-graders at local schools about sustainable ways to handle paper and use recycled paper.

Every two years since 2005, the City of Bonn and Deutsche Post DHL have been presenting the Bonn Environmental Award that is accompanied by € 5,000 prize money. The award recognizes and rewards voluntary initiatives in Bonn that try to get citizens involved and to raise interest in the city's local Agenda21.

The Environmental Award is intended to encourage more people to support issues such as climate protection, nature conservation, resource conservation, and energy and mobility awareness. Deutsche Post DHL has set up ambitious climate protection goals and the sponsorship of this award represents a good expression of the Group's commitment to preserve natural resources.

The 2007/ 2008 Environmental Award was shared equally by "Initiative Bonner Klimaschutz" for their project "Bonn switches to solar power" and the ADFC Bonn/ Rhein-Sieg with its cooperation partner AOK Regionaldirektion Bonn for their efforts to promote cycling as a means of transport.