Mercedes-Benz and its employees have a long, rich history of coming together around the important, combined issues of environmentalism and innovation. They demonstrate their shared commitment to these ideals in the cars they build and in volunteer services to the communities where they live and work.

 

Recently, nearly 200 employees of Mercedes-Benz USA rolled up their sleeves, as well as their pant legs, and turned their commitment into action, devoting two days of service to support Clean Ocean Action, helping that organization in its mission to improve the quality of the marine waters off the coasts of New York and New Jersey.

 

The day was part of a company-wide effort by Mercedes-Benz employees to partner around 125 collective acts of community service, celebrating the 125^th anniversary of the invention of the automobile.

 

“What better way is there to celebrate 125 years of Mercedes-Benz heritage than by doing ‘the right thing’? This was a success and a great learning experience for everyone involved,” said Lisa Rosenfeld, General Manager of Human Resources for Mercedes-Benz USA.

 

For two days, dozens of employees met up at Sandy Hook Gateway National Park in Highlands, New Jersey and conducted beach sweeps along the shoreline to pick up and log items they found with the goal of helping to identify likely sources of pollution. All together, Mercedes-Benz employees picked up 12,720 pieces of refuse along the beach.

 

Another component of the activity for Clean Ocean Action was an orientation program to educate employees on the complex issues involved in trying to protect the bays, inlets and tidal rivers along the New York and New Jersey coastlines from pollution. In addition to its committed employee volunteers donating time to the cause, Mercedes-Benz also donated $11,000 to support the ongoing efforts of Clean Ocean Action.

 

“The Mercedes-Benz team showed their ‘can-do’ community spirit by ridding beaches of plastic debris. This debris not only makes our beaches unattractive, but it is harmful to marine life through entanglement or ingestion,” stated Cindy Zipf, Executive Director of Clean Ocean Action. “Clearly, Mercedes-Benz commitment to high standards and beautiful products extends to improving the quality of our beaches. Their financial contribution was most helpful, and seeing volunteers working hard, even in the rain, was impressive and inspirational,” she added.

 

You can learn more about this and other ways that Mercedes-Benz and its employees are making a difference by following them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mbusapressoffice, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MBUSA_News.