Honda has traditionally sponsored a week of community service among its employees, dealers and suppliers that marks the June founding of American Honda Motor Co. in 1959. But after canceling last year’s effort because of the coronavirus pandemic, the automaker decided to think bigger for 2021 and made its Team Honda Week of Service last the entire summer.
Activities have included restocking food banks that were depleted during the ups and downs of the coronavirus crisis and helping with school supplies.
Expanding the effort to the entire summer “allows us flexibility to work with nonprofit organizations who faced increased demand but that were also still operating in that COVID environment,” Yvette Hunsicker, vice president of corporate social responsibility, inclusion and diversity at American Honda, told Automotive News.
The service projects attempt to meet needs in individual communities across North America, where conditions differ from place to place. About 160 dealers and 94 suppliers developed local projects, such as food drives, blood drives and even vaccination clinics. Some dealers and suppliers had multiple programs going.
American Honda is considering whether to return to the traditional one week of service in 2022 or repeat the all-summer format.