Allianz, Bosch, Michelin and Renault are recognised today for their philanthropic support to global road safety as the first companies to qualify, through their financial donations of at least US$150,000 per year to the Decade of Action, as official 'Supporters of the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020'.

(left to right) Dr. Bernd Bohr, Chairman of the Bosch Automotive Group; Richard Driscoll, Manager, Road Safety, Renault; Michelle Yeoh, Global Road Safety Ambassador; David Ward, Joint Chairman, Road Safety Fund; Jean-Dominique Senard, Managing Partner of Michelin Group; Christian Deuringer, Head of Global Brand Management at Allianz SE

David Ward, Joint Chairman, Road Safety Fund and Christian Deuringer, Head of Global Brand Management at Allianz SE, confirm Allianz's support for the Road Safety Fund while Michelle Yeoh, Global Road Safety Ambassador, watches

Dr Walter Eichendorf and Ute Hammer, President and Managing Director of the German Road Safety Council, visit the Road Safety Fund stand at Challenge Bibendum

Michelle Yeoh, Global Road Safety Ambassador, speaks at Michelin's Challenge Bibendum

Just one week after the international launch of the Decade of Action, which saw events – many involving Presidents or Prime Ministers - in at least 110 nations, the announcement of the first corporate supporters of the Decade of Action is a signal of the growing momentum to deliver action in the countries suffering most severely from the global epidemic of road deaths and injuries.

By donating to the new Road Safety Fund, or to its partner Global Road Safety Initiative, Allianz, Bosch, Michelin and Renault secure the right to use the new global symbol for road safety, the Tag. Displayed on world famous landmarks including Sydney Harbour Bridge, London's Trafalgar Square, New York City's Times Square and Rio de Janeiro's 'Christ the Redeemer' statue to mark the launch of the Decade of Action; and adopted by governments, road safety and public health organisations worldwide, the yellow Tag is now the recognised symbol of commitment to road injury prevention.

The companies' support was announced by David Ward, Joint Chairman of the Road Safety Fund, at a high level road safety session of Challenge Bibendum, Michelin's policy and technology network for sustainable mobility. This year's event is held at Tempelhof, Berlin. Representatives of the four pioneer Supporter companies were joined on stage by Global Road Safety Ambassador and movie actress Michelle Yeoh.

Michelle Yeoh, Global Road Safety Ambassador, said:

"The world has come together to demand action for road safety. But action requires resources, and road injury prevention has been badly underfunded. So I warmly welcome the commitment made by Allianz, Bosch, Michelin and Renault. These companies are responsible and vigilant in making road safety a core principle within their workforce and their operations. I honour them for contributing to the wider good, and providing financial support for much needed road safety programmes that will help to protect the most vulnerable of road users in developing nations, working towards our common goal of saving five million lives in the Decade of Action".

Christian Deuringer, Head of Global Brand Management at Allianz SE, said:

"As the world's leading car insurer, we feel a clear responsibility to communicate the importance of risk management and driver safety to a worldwide audience that is fascinated with automotive technology and interested in driving skills. In our cooperation with the Road Safety Fund on the "Decade of Action", we envision a great occasion to demonstrate how safety issues translate from the race track to public roads."

Dr. Bernd Bohr, Chairman of the Automotive Group at Bosch said:

"For decades, Bosch has been developing and marketing automotive technologies that make driving safer and mobility sustainable. Supporting the activities of the Decade of Action for Road Safety is very important for Bosch, since we believe that road safety is not an option, but a must."

Jean-Dominique Senard, Managing Partner of Michelin Group, said:

"Since the creation of the company, Michelin has committed to create safe tires: grip, wet grip, handling, braking distance, endurance within the framework of the balance of performances. In signing the Global Road Safety Commitment, we are committed to systematically improving the quality with which work related road safety is managed in the Michelin Group. We really want our top management to be as focused on road crashes prevention as we are on working towards being 100 per cent safe from work accidents in our factories and offices."

Carlos Ghosn, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Renault, said:

"We must work on all available levers to make the world's roads safer. This is why Renault is an active member of the Global Road Safety Partnership, an organization that brings together governments, the private sector and civil society to address road safety issues especially in emerging countries where around 90 per cent of all traffic deaths and injuries currently occur. Collaboration with all stakeholders is thus a key success factor to making the Decade of Action effective."
David Ward, Joint Chairman of the Road Safety Fund, said:

"Strong corporate and philanthropic donor support will be vital to the success of the Decade of Action for Road Safety. We know the solutions, now we must secure the resources to deliver on the highways and streets where the need is most urgent. We expect these leading companies to be just the first of many who will support the Decade of Action. I would encourage all companies that have a stake in the safety of their employees and the wider community to join us and invest in the Road Safety Fund."