Chapter 3: Establishing Ourselves and Stability

5. Where the River Flows, DENSO Volunteers Will Go

5. Where the River Flows, DENSO Volunteers Will Go

Initially established in 1986, a team of 19 DENSO associates joined the 13th annual River Rouge Project during the summer of 1998.

Throughout our history, DENSO associates across the globe have donated time and resources to help create greener, cleaner, and safer communities. It’s not uncommon to see a sea of DENSO red shirts working together to collect trash, plant trees, beautify parks, and dive into rivers in an effort to protect our environment.

Leaning into our DENSO Spirit values of Challenge and Teamwork, for more than 20 years, hundreds of DENSO volunteers have supported Rouge Rescue cleanup efforts in the backyard of our campus in Southfield, Michigan. Associates, families and friends have removed harmful log jams from the river, picked-up trash and removed invasive species, such as garlic mustard and dame’s rocket.

DENSO volunteers weren’t afraid again in 2010 to jump in and save Mother Nature. For years, volunteers would dive into the Rouge River to help remove harmful log jams.

Maintaining a Healthy Rouge River is Personal

The company’s North American headquarters, DENSO International America, sits near the Rouge River floodplain in Southfield. That’s one reason DENSO has been involved in its restoration for so many years.

As part of Rouge Rescue efforts, DENSO would also sponsor educational opportunities for local students. In 2012, students from Stevenson Elementary School tested the water quality to ensure a healthy habitat for wildlife.

More than just a local river, the Rouge centers an entire ecosystem right in the middle of Michigan’s most densely populated, urbanized land area. About 90 percent of the City of Southfield is in the Rouge River Watershed, encompassing 26.2 miles of the river. In total, the Rouge River Watershed encompasses 467 square miles, affecting 47 communities, and draining into the Detroit River.

In 2013, armed with bug spray and duct tape, Kazumasa Kimura, DIAM Chief Operating Officer, and other DENSO volunteers get ready to head to the river. Duct tape is a long-time tradition, worn by many as a badge of honor, and some taping up for a more practical use to keep bugs out and pant legs down when in the river and wooded areas.

Being part of a watershed that is more than 50 percent urbanized has impacted the river ecosystem. DENSO’s support of the Rouge River Project through volunteer efforts, donations and educational programs has helped keep the river healthy, reduced erosion and provided a habitat for fish and wildlife.

Ramesh Mishra, manager of Safety Systems Engineering, helped pick invasive species at the 2024 Rouge Rescue event, one of the many ways we help maintain a healthy river ecosystem.

The Tradition Continues Today

More than 15 DENSO volunteers gathered at a local park near our campus to help out once again. The group collected more than 25 bags of invasive species to give native plants and wildlife a chance to flourish.

5. Where the River Flows, DENSO Volunteers Will Go

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