Beijing Arbitration Commission

——The BAC explores the establishment of a long-term social responsibility mechanism

    On May 13, 2008, the second day after the Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan, the BAC immediately held an emergency meeting, deciding to launch a charity campaign for the areas that were seriously affected by the earthquake, Immediately, a proposal was sent out to the staff and arbitrators of the BAC, calling upon them to extend their support and donations to the people in the disaster-affected areas. On May 21st, the BAC Office, CPC Branch, Labor Union and members of the arbitrator Development Commission held a discussion meeting on the charity donation activities for the relief and recovery works. Mr. Zhang Chunlin, Senior Expert of World Bank and Member of Commission specially sent his suggestions on the usage of the donation funds according to his experience at the World Bank, including the several common methods of international aid to ensure the correct use of the funds, such as a proper payment and records.

    First, the attending members expressed their condolences to the victims of the “5.12” earthquake. Secretary General Wang Hongsong notified the group of the situations of the Arbitration Commissions in Mianyang and Deyang. The expressed their cares and concerns for these fellow commissions, which were severely affected by the disaster. Mr. Fang Meng, President of the Labor Union, reported on the progress of the charity donation activity this time.

    All the participants were deeply moved by the affects of the earthquake, especially the deaths of students in rural schools. At present, people from across the country are carrying out relief efforts, and our arbitration community is no exception. We must enable our fellow arbitration institutions in the disaster-affected areas to feel our caring and support in this difficult time. The meeting agreed to firstly donate RMB 150,000 Yuan to Mianyang Arbitration Commission and RMB 100,000 Yuan to Deyang Arbitration Commission. We must express our deepest respect and sincere sympathy to the staff and arbitrators of these two commissions!

    Secretary General Wang Hongsong spoke to the BAC’s outstanding tradition of charitable activities and sense of social responsibility amongst the staff. Since its foundation, the BAC has organized donations, such as that to aid education for middle schools in remote counties of Beijing. Whether during the “SARS” period, or when organizing our staff to visit the schools in poor areas of Taipushi Qi, Inner Mongolia in 2005, the BAC’s staff has always been very enthusiastic to make donations and actively contribute, trying their best to help the organizations aided to solve the practical issues. The earthquake relief action has been the first donation proposal in name of the BAC, and it has received warm responses from all our arbitrators. The donation amount, wide participation, and broad range involved have all exceeded past efforts. This not only demonstrates the humanitarianism and sense of social responsibility of our arbitrators and staff, but also reflects the coherence and the team spirit of the BAC as a group.

    The participating members came to the consensus that the rest of the donation should be used for recovery and reconstruction of schools in the disaster-affected areas. It is the BAC’s goal to ensure that every cent of the donations be used in the most needed areas. The initial plan is to authorize the Arbitration Commissions in Deyang and Mianyang to contact the local education authorities, to fulfill the site selection and planning of the schools, and select builders with good qualification and high reputation to construct one to two qualified anti-earthquake primary schools in those area.