Bridgestone Asia Pacific – Our Way to Serve: Building Safer Journeys for Children

In Vietnam’s flood-prone rural regions, crossing rivers and navigating unsafe roads are part of daily life for many schoolchildren. Recognizing the risks and challenges faced by these communities, Bridgestone Asia Pacific launched a meaningful CSR initiative under its global platform “Our Way to Serve”—a program dedicated to improving mobility, people, and the environment.

Bridgestone’s CSR vision, “Our Way to Serve,” embodies the company’s long-standing commitment to social responsibility. In Asia Pacific, the initiative focuses on sustainable mobility and community safety—two pillars that align with the company’s expertise as a global tire and mobility solutions leader. In 2019, Bridgestone Vietnam launched a project called “Bridgestone Squad – Complete Safety for Children,” designed to promote road safety awareness and improve local infrastructure for students in remote areas.

The program was guided by two main objectives:

1. Enhancing child safety through road-safety education and awareness programs.

2. Improving rural connectivity by constructing safe bridges and walkways in regions frequently affected by floods.

   
   

By combining education and infrastructure, Bridgestone sought to create a lasting social impact that would empower both children and communities to move safely and confidently.

In partnership with local authorities and NGOs, Bridgestone Vietnam organized road-safety workshops in schools across several provinces. The sessions were interactive, using games, role-play, and visual materials to help children learn key safety principles—such as wearing helmets, using pedestrian crossings, and identifying traffic signals.

Alongside education, Bridgestone invested in infrastructure improvement, constructing 20 new bridges in flood-prone rural areas. These bridges not only connected villages and schools but also enabled safer, faster access to healthcare and markets. Bridgestone employees also volunteered their time to participate in on-site construction support and community events, further strengthening ties with local residents.

The initiative has made a measurable difference.

• Over 5,000 students participated in the road-safety workshops.

• The 20 new bridges directly benefited more than 10,000 residents across multiple provinces.

• Local authorities reported a significant reduction in school absenteeism during the rainy season, as children could now cross rivers safely.

  
  

In addition, Bridgestone’s engagement with parents and teachers created a multiplier effect—spreading road-safety awareness beyond classrooms and into homes. The company’s volunteers also gained a deeper understanding of the communities they serve, reinforcing Bridgestone’s corporate culture of empathy and service.

Bridgestone continues to expand the “Our Way to Serve” initiative across the Asia-Pacific region, focusing on three priority areas: Mobility, People, and the Environment. In Vietnam, future plans include integrating digital learning tools into school programs to further strengthen traffic-safety education and expanding infrastructure projects to additional rural provinces.

The “Our Way to Serve” initiative showcases how CSR can be both practical and purpose-driven. By aligning community needs with the company’s expertise in safety and mobility, Bridgestone has built more than bridges—it has built trust and long-term partnerships.

Through thoughtful planning and collaboration, Bridgestone demonstrates that corporate responsibility is not merely about giving back—it’s about serving with purpose and creating sustainable pathways to a safer future.

References:

Bridgestone Asia Pacific Official Site – “Our Way to Serve” CSR Framework

Bridgestone Vietnam Press Release (2019) – “Complete Safety for Children Campaign”

Vietnam News Agency – CSR Feature on Bridgestone Community Projects