News Releases
Team Bridgestone Australia revealed 500 days out from the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020
World’s largest tyre and rubber company announces
Australian athlete ambassadors for Tokyo 2020
ADELAIDE, South Australia (12 March, 2019) – With the countdown to the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 reaching the 500 day milestone, Bridgestone Australia (Bridgestone), a subsidiary of the world’s largest tyre and rubber company and a Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Partner, has announced the first members of Team Bridgestone Australia, a roster of former, current and potential Olympians who will represent Bridgestone through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) driven projects leading up to and during the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
As part of Team Bridgestone Australia, Sydney 2000 Gold Medallist and Australian Olympic icon Cathy Freeman, NBA star and three-time Boomer representative Joe Ingles, and rising star in the brand new Olympic sport of surfing, 2017 World Surfing League Rookie of the Year Connor O’Leary, will work with Bridgestone to transform, ignite and inspire Australians through the company’s global message of “Chase Your Dream” – which encourages people everywhere to overcome obstacles and persevere in pursuit of their goals.
The announcement of Team Bridgestone Australia is the local extension of Bridgestone Corporation’s global campaign - proudly supporting athletes who embody the company’s “Chase Your Dream” message and who will serve as the face of Bridgestone activities as Team Bridgestone.
In the lead up to Tokyo 2020, Team Bridgestone Australia athlete ambassadors will serve as the focal point of the company’s major activations, driven by the company’s global CSR initiative, Our Way to Serve. The company will also announce further expansion to its Team Bridgestone Australia line up, reflecting the company’s Worldwide Paralympic Partnership, along with release of the details of the Tokyo 2020 activities it has planned.
The activities will see Bridgestone give back to the community across basketball, athletics, surfing and other sports – demonstrating the company’s commitment to making a meaningful contribution to society extending beyond its core products.
“The launch of Team Bridgestone Australia is incredibly exciting for Bridgestone and we’re thrilled to be partnering with Cathy Freeman, Joe Ingles and Connor O’Leary. These three athletes share our passion of giving back to the community, and over the next 500 days we will be working together to bring fantastic initiatives to life,” said Bridgestone Australia & New Zealand Managing Director, Stephen Roche.
“Our goal is to take our Olympic and Paralympic partnerships beyond branding. Through collaboration with our Team Bridgestone Australia athletes, we are working to enhance the way people play by assisting the community with facilities, resources or knowledge that can inspire and motivate tomorrow’s Olympians and Paralympians to chase their dreams.”
Over the coming year, Bridgestone will unveil its three marquee Tokyo 2020 activities, including Joe Ingles championing a concept that will reinvigorate community basketball participation, Connor O’Leary introducing surfing to an unsuspecting audience, and Cathy Freeman encouraging the athletics community.
“We can’t wait to join forces with Team Bridgestone Australia to unveil our plans over the next 12 months. Bridgestone has set out to transform, ignite and inspire future Olympians to chase their dreams and we will do this alongside our star athletes. We look forward to announcing the first of our major activities in the coming months,” added Mr Roche.
About Bridgestone’s “Our Way to Serve” initiative:
“Our Way to Serve” aims to inspire Bridgestone teammates to continue doing great work, by continuing to do good for the world. “Our Way to Serve” organizes Bridgestone’s CSR efforts under three Priority Areas: Mobility; People; and Environment. “Our Way to Serve” reflects the company’s longstanding philosophy of “Serving Society with Superior Quality” and a recognition that the best companies not only perform for their stakeholders, but also contribute to a better world.
From our beginnings in the 1930s, our founder, Shojiro Ishibashi, believed that a business that contributes to society would do well by doing good. Today, this is more important than ever, with mounting social and environmental challenges threatening the planet and the quality of life of all people living on it. Now, as a global leader, the Bridgestone Group is committed to serving society by improving access to smart, safe transportation,