Companies don’t operate in isolation; they depend on and influence their environment. So it makes sense for them to invest in the long-term welfare of the communities they’re part of: if the community thrives, so will the company.

Besides, when you employ over 75,000 people around the world, community involvement isn’t a matter of choice – it’s a fact of life. As you become part of your employees’ neighborhood, town or region you take on responsibility.

That’s why we support community initiatives in countries around the world where our employees live and work. Our affiliates work with local charities and other organizations on the ground who understand the problems, know what’s needed and are best placed to help. Sometimes that means backing a large-scale relief effort, like the international response to the Asian tsunami. More often it means getting involved in smaller projects that don’t make the headlines but are just as important – such as programs against domestic violence, shelters for street children or food drives for the hungry.

In 2008, we made charitable contributions totaling approximately $20 million. For more details please explore this section of our site.

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