Knowledge, desire and - above all - action
Knowledge
This initiative coincided with the management's own desire to formalize the existing policy of support for charitable causes. Given the nature of our business, we are very much aware of the situation in the regions from which we derive our products and, ultimately, our profits. After all, these areas have been part of the Catz world for over 150 years. We know how the people live; we have seen for ourselves the opportunities they could enjoy and the threats they must face. Sometimes a relatively small amount is enough to launch a project, which will change lives - or perhaps even save lives.
Desire
In 2006 Catz celebrated its 150th event. We marked this anniversary in a more constructive manner. It is not in our nature to spend money on fripperies. We would much rather make a significant contribution to the Catz Charity Foundation. In fact, we did not only do so in 2006 but devote a proportion of our annual profits to the CCF each and every year in order to initiate and support worthwhile projects.
Action
The CCF will initiate or support community development projects in the countries from which we derive our products, including India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Africa and Vietnam. These projects will improve the living conditions of the local population by means of new water and sanitation systems, schools, healthcare facilities, etc. One of the main criteria, which the CCF will observe, is that the entire amount of any financial contribution must be devoted to the projects with no unnecessary overheads.
This entails direct involvement in the projects, without intermediaries or administrators. We shall work exclusively with reliable project partners, who are known to us personally. A number of Catz staff devote part of their spare time to CCF administration on a voluntary basis.