Infinera on its support of Colt’s CSR Bike Ride
Infinera believes a connected world is a better world. But connection in and of itself is not enough. Those connections need to foster mutual respect, appreciation of ideas and the lifting up of those most in need. That’s why Infinera is proud to have sponsored the Colt CSR bike ride since its conception four years ago and has actively participated in the rides each year. This year four members of the Infinera team have taken part in a 450km route from Frankfurt to Zurich, raising money for vulnerable children on behalf of Britain’s oldest children’s charity, Coram.
Last year alone, Infinera helped Colt raise over €100,000 for their in-region charity partners, including Coram in the UK. Rob Spalding, Infinera account director, explains: “Raising money for a charity like Coram is a privilege. I feel Coram’s efforts of not only supporting vulnerable children, but educating and supporting the adults involved in their precious lives is vitally important. By providing parents with the knowledge and resources on how to effectively care for young people, you help break the cycle that would otherwise, sadly, continue on.”
Having a long-standing client relationship with Colt since 2009, it was no surprise that Infinera later became involved in Colt’s charitable efforts. Rob continues: “The ride serves a cross-functional purpose. Not only does it nurture the relationship between the respective businesses, but more importantly, it combines each party’s efforts and enables us to raise significant donations for some truly remarkable charities.”
However, the ride is not a simple stroll through the park! The riders have to train hard, with many committing to local riding clubs in order to prepare for the four day challenge. Preparation is key to a successful and pleasant ride, according to Spalding, who has participated in the event since its inception: “In our first ever race, there were just sixteen riders, one supporting vehicle and no proper map. The ride has grown significantly and attracted support from riders across the organisation. It’s great to see the team coming together for such a great cause.”
Rob notes that ride is reflective of the positive culture promoted by the organisations involved: “Despite the physical challenge, there is a great sense of camaraderie. There is a lot of emotional support during the ride and genuine relationships are formed within the team. The buzz from helping such worthwhile causes is more than enough to encourage people to get involved”.
The Infinera bike ride team:
Rob rode with three colleagues from the Infinera team: John Ambrose (Systems Engineer Director), Mo Allan (eLearning Manager) and Ian MacDonald (VP Metro Technology) – who came all the way from Sunnyvale, CA to join the ride. In one of the 6 support vans, Jodie Hoare (International Field Marketing) delivered lunch for the riders along the route.
Please help support the team by donating here: https://www.justgiving.com/Colt-Technology7/
For more information on Infinera’s CSR programme, please visit: http://www.infinera.com/company/social-responsibility/the-infinera-connection-social-responsibility/
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