EADS' support of the aid efforts after the tsunami disaster in south-east Asia increases to more than € 3 million so far. The company proudly announced this total amount after the finalization of a campaign for employees' contribution.
EADS and its subsidiaries donated more than € 2 million. Already in the immediate aftermath of the disaster, EADS and its Business Units offered a cash donation of € 1 million, consisiting of € 500,000 from EADS Headquarters to “Wings of Help”, a joint initiative of “Luftfahrt ohne Grenzen” and “Aviation sans Frontières”, and the same amount from Airbus to the Red Cross.
The contribution of EADS', Airbus' and Eurocopter's employees to the cash donation – following a Group-wide initiative – exceeded € 500,000 and has been matched by the respective entities. Most effective use of the given money was ensured by donating into various European relief organisations working across the affected region, among them the Red Cross, the “Fondation de France” and “Wings of Help”.
Furthermore, EADS provided logistical and product-related support worth more than another € 1 million. Amongst others, EADS donated a mobile rescue station which was set up at Banda Aceh in Indonesia. The Group also provided logistical support through a fleet of Eurocopter helicopters in relief operations in Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia as well as through the service of Airbus' Beluga transport aircraft.
EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2004, EADS generated revenues of € 31.8 billion and employed a workforce of about 110,000. The EADS Group includes the aircraft manufacturer Airbus, the world's largest helicopter supplier Eurocopter and the joint venture MBDA, the international leader in missile systems. EADS is the major partner in the Eurofighter consortium, is the prime contractor for the Ariane launcher, develops the A400M military transport aircraft and is the largest industrial partner for the European satellite navigation system Galileo.
