Kumho Tyres Commits to Continuing Support for The McGrath Foundation

Kumho Tyres has announced it has signed on to continue its role as a partner with the McGrath Foundation, continuing the relationship the tyre company established with the Foundation in October 2009.

Kumho has donated more than $100,000 to the McGrath Foundation over the past year in support of its efforts to fund McGrath Breast Care Nurses throughout Australia and raise awareness of breast cancer among young women and intends to continue as a major benefactor for the Foundation.

The new agreement will see Kumho Tyres continue as a major backer of the McGrath Foundation through 2011 and 2012 donating a minimum of $100,000 a year for the next two years.

In addition to the $100,000 annual donation Kumho will also be involved in other fund raising activities including Pink Fitters Day which was pioneered in 2010 and will run for the second time in April this year.

Pink Fitters day is an innovative event which involves thousands of tyre fitters all over Australia wearing pink McGrath Foundation Kumho shirts to raise more money for the Foundation's vital works.

Kumho Australia managing director, Mr Edmund Cho, said the continuing relationship with the McGrath Foundation fits with the company's global policy of positive contribution to the communities in which it does business.

"Kumho has been marketing products in Australia for more than 30 years and as a company we feel it is important to give back to the community and our continuing relationship with the McGrath Foundation is a part of that philosophy," said Mr Cho.

"In Korea, our approach to corporate and social responsibility is described as arum daun giup, which literally translated means 'beautiful company'," said Mr Cho.

"In broad terms we are committed to working hard to provide a substantial contribution to the betterment of our people and society in general."

As part of its commitment to social responsibility, Kumho is using innovative technology to develop more environmentally-friendly tyres, including new compounds and designs to reduce rolling resistance and ways of consuming less of the planets resources by recycling, etc .

According to MGrath Foundation CEO, Kylea Tink, the charity is extremely grateful for the continuing support of Kumho Tyres and looks forward to working with Kumho over the next two years.

"The support of companies like Kumho has enabled the McGrath Foundation to greatly expand the McGrath Breast Care Nurses program in the community supporting thousands of Australian families," said Kylea Tink.

"Just over two and a half years ago when Jane passed away we had just four McGrath Breast Care Nurses working in the community and today, thanks largely to the amazing support we have had, we now have McGrath Breast Care Nurses in 61 locations across Australia offering support to more than 6,500 families which is an amazing achievement," she said.

"Even so, we're very conscious there are still families and communities out there that need access to the support that can be offered by our amazing McGrath Breast Care Nurses and initiatives such as Kumho's Pink Fitters Day really help us in raising the funds to keep growing our Breast Care Nurse numbers.

"It's great that guys are willing to display a bit of McGrath pink in their showrooms in support of the Foundation and it shows that people in the tyre industry understand that breast cancer doesn't just affect women - it affects families," said Kylea.