2008-04-10 - ABB employees and company units in different parts of the world frequently engage in voluntary community work. Being close to a local community, and being perceived as a worthy partner and good corporate citizen, are an essential part of being “at home” in areas where the company operates.
At a Group level, ABB sponsors such organizations as the International Committee of the Red Cross and the WWF global conservation group. In individual countries, employees seek to contribute to help disadvantaged people in a variety of ways.
Here are a few examples of ABB’s social engagement in different countries over the past two years.
Brazil: Support for communities near ABB factories includes volunteers working and providing money for shelters for the disadvantaged, and helping in soup kitchens near three factories where some 600 people receive food every day. More than 1,400 employees donate part of their salary to support local social projects.
China: Several schemes are under way in Beijing and Xiamen to support impoverished students to help them get through technology studies. Local schemes provide clothes to the disadvantaged, computers for schools and books for children. In 2007, employees raised about one million Renminbi for a project to improve the housing of 1,000 elderly people in Shanghai.
Germany: Every year, about 200 employees volunteer their time to help participants in the Special Olympics for handicapped people in Germany. (Similar events are also backed by ABB volunteers in Italy, U.K., Czech Republic and North America).
India: Numerous schemes whereby ABB employees support and contribute financially to poor schools around factories, helping to construct classrooms and ensuring children receive a free midday meal; schemes to employ disabled people in sub-assembly plants; Access to Electricity rural electrification program in a remote community in Rajasthan.
Middle East: Technical training is provided for students from different universities and colleges; regular donations to victims of natural catastrophes (Saudi Arabia); ABB supports clean-up campaigns in Dubai and takes part in a mentoring scheme for up and-coming managers in the United Arab Emirates.
South Africa: Involvement in numerous social projects, including helping young people to learn trades and have gainful employment in Soweto; supporting a home for severely handicapped children and a work experience scheme for the unemployed in Bloemfontein.
Sweden: Among other activities, ABB is a co-founder of The World Childhood Foundation, founded by Queen Silvia of Sweden in 1999 in an effort to reach and support children at risk around the world.
Switzerland: Apart from supporting local charities, one scheme sees managers exchanging jobs and volunteering to work in social institutions for 2-3 week periods.
Tanzania: The Access to Electricity rural electrification scheme with the WWF and local authorities in the southern village of has led to improvements in the financial position of residents, better educational results and health care, and increased environmental stewardship.
United Kingdom: Support for sporting activities for handicapped people; among the charities that are backed through volunteer schemes is Macmillan Cancer Support for victims of the disease.
United States and Canada: Volunteers collect food, clothes, toys and school supplies at Christmas for disadvantaged people in local communities. Activities include a fund raising event in support of breast cancer victims and diverse charities, and volunteers work on building new homes for the needy in Wycliffe, Ohio. In Canada in 2007, the company matched employees’ generosity, raising a total of $180,000 for an organization which concentrates on community-building projects.