China Merchants Bank and Jet Li, the founder of One Foundation, announced at the 2008 China Global Philanthropy Forum that the two parties will issue an affinity card — the CMB One Foundation Affinity Card.
The forum was held jointly by the Red Cross Society of China, the Red Cross Society of China Jet Li One Foundation Project, and the Boao Forum For Asia, to encourage and facilitate global philanthropic collaboration and to improve global philanthropic systems and organizations.
According to CMB, the card will take the cardholders' donations as the criteria for upgrading their credit line instead of the traditional measures of assets and income. In addition, the card has extended the core value of One Foundation to unite the cardholders, the bank, and businesses; the three parties can not only donate money, but cardholders can also join "One Day Volunteer" activities.
CMB has launched various philanthropic initiatives over the past decade in areas such as education, poverty alleviation, and disaster relief. "We found that many problems need long-term, steady care from society. We hope the cooperation between us and One Foundation will make a larger charitable platform, and help make public welfare part of CMB's normal operation," the governor of China Merchants Bank said at a forum session on "A Strategic View of Corporate Social Responsibility and Philanthropic Partnership".
Jet Li also expressed his expectations for the affinity card to the forum, saying that holding the affinity card is a commitment to people's future life.
The CMB One Foundation Affinity Card will officially be available in December 2008.
