ABB seeks to raise the quality of life in communities where it operates, and be an employer of choice. In 2009, ABB employees in different parts of the world supported community development projects, raising approximately $4.6 million, and their volunteering activities totaled nearly 2,200 days of work.
ABB’s community work falls into two categories: Helping to raise educational standards in local schools and supporting the disadvantaged in areas where the company has operations. Schools and education are supported in such countries as Argentina, Brazil, China, Colombia, Egypt, India, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and South Africa.
ABB’s work with disadvantaged people varies widely. In Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, ABB volunteers help participants in Special Olympics for people with intellectual disabilities; in Canada and the United States, employees raise funds in a variety of ways, including charitable events, and these are then distributed to a range of community projects and charities.
In addition, the ABB Jürgen Dormann Foundation for Engineering Education gave scholarships to university students in China, India, Mexico and Poland in 2009, and students in other countries such as Brazil and Vietnam will also be benefiting from the program.
ABB also won 14 CSR-related awards in 2009. In China, for example, ABB was ranked in the “2009 Multinational Corporations Contribution in China Award List” for the second consecutive year and received the “2009 Multinational Corporations Contribution in China Special Award” for its sustained efforts in corporate social responsibility. These efforts include support for education, environmental protection, and social welfare, benefiting broad sections of society, including the elderly, the handicapped, the impoverished, university students and urban residents.