BUILDING BLOCKS
Before the greatest athletes break world records under its clock at the Rio 2016 Olympics this month, Omega president and CEO Raynald Aeschlimann shares how the brand is leaving its own legacy in the host city
hen us swimmer michael phelps, the most decorated Olympian, hits the water in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil this month for his fifth meet, another name synonymous with the games will be counting every fraction of a second of his sprints—omega. The watchmaker reprises its role, for the 27th time, as Official Timekeeper of the Rio 2016 Olympics, which takes place from August 5 to 21. More than just keeping time, Omega included a charity component to its official countdown this year. For the past 12 months, the brand had thrown its weight behind 12 Social Action projects to boost the socioeconomic and educational growth within the communities in Rio. Together with Brazilian non-profit organisation Viva Rio, which has over 20 years reached out to residents of the city’s favelas, the Omega Viva Rio campaign (omegavivario.com) looks at a wide spectrum of community spaces and educations centres to help thousands of young people and their families. This, while keeping in mind the long-term impact of the projects. From showing support for vulnerable mothers and building strength of and confidence in kids, to offering a platform for youths to launch their careers, Omega hopes to plant the seeds for a better future. President and CEO Raynald Aeschlimann says, “We were working alongside people who know what the key social problems are, not anecdotally but personally. The important thing for us, was to make a start in very practical ways and hopefully create some momentum for broader change.” Aeschlimann discusses the need to take social action and how everyone can do their part.
What role does Omega see itself playing in shaping the next generation?
It’s about investing in the future. By that, I mean a social future. For all the talk of economic growth, politics, GDP and the like, you need strong families and communities to create a firm economic footing. As a watch company, we can only influence the future so much, but we are aware of how fortunate we are and will continue to share in our good fortune.
What is a project that resonated with you?
As someone of southern European extraction, family means everything to me, so they all resonated personally. The first of the 12 projects offered support for vulnerable mothers. I can’t think of a better place to start.
How will the projects continue to benefit the community?
After the Rio 2016 Olympics, we will take our cues from Viva Rio as to how best we can offer ongoing help. The Viva Rio approach can be applied to almost any community in need, because it’s a simple concept: identify core problems and take 12 practical first steps to solve them. As well as continuing our support for Viva Rio, we are committed to supporting Orbis International and its fight against preventable blindness and we are proud to work alongside the Goodplanet Foundation on numerous environmental projects, particularly in Indonesia.
What steps can we take to encourage social action?
We need dialogue and it needs to be fair, honest and open. We need to talk, but we also need to listen—really listen. This, of course, is not always easy. But nothing worth doing ever is. It takes commitment. We can’t rely on quick fixes.
How much time do you think is required to effect social change?
We’ll never reach an end point. Social change is very dynamic. We should never stop trying to make things better. But as the president and CEO of a Swiss timekeeping company, I can tell you the exact precise time we should start—now.