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Corporate Social Responsibility
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12.05.2007 - 10:33am ET
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Alcoa Marks International Volunteer Day with Tribute to Alcoa Employees for their Record Volunteer Effort in 2007 Worldwide Month of Service
(CSRwire) PITTSBURGH - December 5, 2007 - A record of more than 47,000 people
participated in volunteer activities during Alcoa's 2007 Worldwide Month
of Service held in October, it was announced today by Alcoa (NYSE:AA) and
Alcoa Foundation. Now in its second year, the Worldwide Month of Service
is a dedicated timeframe during which the company’s locations around the
world hold community service events to recognize the commitment and
achievement of Alcoa employees who volunteer in their communities.
Under the theme of "Alcoa in the Community," participation this year was
up nearly one third from 2006. Alcoa's senior management was actively
involved in many of the more than 780 events held in 36 countries in 200
communities. Alcoa employee volunteers partnered with local nonprofit
organizations, neighbors, government officials, and family members to make
maximum impact in their local communities. Volunteer efforts included
service to nearly 37,000 community residents, planting of over 12,000
trees, and direct assistance to nearly 200 schools. Many events were held
with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) where Alcoa employees volunteer
year-round and where Alcoa Foundation grants complement their efforts.
"I am proud to congratulate all those employees and their families who
make Alcoa's Worldwide Month of Service a true demonstration of the spirit
of giving and community involvement has been a core part of Alcoa's Values
since our founding," said Alain Belda, Alcoa's Chairman and Chief
Executive Office. "We chose International Volunteer Day to announce these
achievements as further recognition of the significant positive change
these Alcoa volunteers make on a regular basis in their communities around
the globe." In 1985, the General Assembly of the United Nations designated
December 5 for an annual celebration of all that is achieved by
volunteers; International
Volunteer Day is celebrated in more than half the world's countries.
Details can be found at www.worldvolunteerweb.org
"Our Worldwide Month of Service extends and deepens our regular,
day-to-day community involvement," said Meg McDonald, President of Alcoa
Foundation. "The goal is to make a real and sustainable impact on Alcoa
communities everywhere."
Some highlights from the Month of Service:
In China, 10 Alcoa locations partnered around the key themes of
safety, children, protection of the elderly, and environmental issues.
More than 500 employees were involved in events such as a 10-day volunteer
project for the Special Olympics in support of the USA Special Olympics
Team and helping Team Bahamas and Austria handle the athletes' special
needs.
Over 30% of Alcoa's Australian employees and more than 3,000
community members participated in events focused around the "Make An
Impact" greenhouse "Climate Change Challenge." On National Ride to Work
Day, employees saved an estimated 1,734 tons of greenhouse gas by walking,
biding, taking public transportation, or car-pooling to work—positively
impacting some 66 community organizations.
Brazil and Alcoa locations in Latin America held over 100 community
events and 23 workshops to benefit more than 130 NGOs.
In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 263 employees took part in major service
projects for nonprofit organizations, including escorting senior citizens
to visit the National Aviary, painting at Light of Life Rescue Mission,
cleaning the riverfront, and visiting hospitalized war veterans.
In Richmond, Virginia, employees helped restore Capitol Square by
planting six mature trees in the grounds of the newly refurbished State
Capitol and conducted several clean-up projects. These trees planted for
perpetuity with a $60,000 grant from Alcoa and Alcoa Foundation completes
the historic original (but never realized) landscape plan for the Capitol.
In Canada and Iceland, employees at 10 Alcoa locations spent 800
hours actively participating in National Waste Reduction Week by building,
cleaning, removing, reusing, and recycling to reduce waste. Key efforts
were landscaping grounds and building composting containers for children
to use in schools.
In Jamaica, Alcoa volunteers worked with the local Lions Club to
repair damage to Welcome Beach, an 800-meter stretch that was battered by
Hurricane Dean. The beach is now clean and free of boulders, tree trunks,
and debris thanks to their efforts.
Alcoa Technical Center in Upper Burrell Township, Pennsylvania, held
a Community Luncheon at which $160,000 in funding was presented to local
organizations and a two-year partnership with the Community Health Clinic
in New Kensington was announced. The grant will help increase clinic
services by 30%.
In Spain, local community representatives and politicians, Alcoa
senior management, and all Alcoa San Ciprián volunteers attended an
Employee Volunteering Celebration Ceremony to acknowledge the 735 Alcoa
volunteers who devoted around 50,000 hours volunteering at 58 nonprofit
associations.
Alcoa Ireland organized a Suicide Awareness & Prevention month,
providing information stands and DVDs in plants and local shopping
centers.
In the United Kingdom, Alcoa employees at Kitts Green partnered with
a local organization to run a community Open Day at The Pump Lea Village,
with activities such as art competitions, music performances, information
technology courses, and displays and demos by various local training
facilities and organizations.
Alcoa in France launched an exhibition on sustainable development
that will tour France in 2008, and announced the creation of an
educational orchard financed by an Alcoa Foundation grant.
Alcoa Russia volunteers held a mass event which cleaned and planted
trees and bushes to create a new garden at a local Home for Elderly and
Disabled People.
About Alcoa
Alcoa is the world's leading producer and manager of primary aluminum,
fabricated aluminum and alumina facilities, and is active in all major
aspects of the industry. Alcoa serves the aerospace, automotive,
packaging, building and construction, commercial transportation and
industrial markets, bringing design, engineering, production and other
capabilities of Alcoa's businesses to customers. In addition to aluminum
products and components including flat-rolled products, hard alloy
extrusions, and forgings, Alcoa also markets Alcoa(R) wheels, fastening
systems, precision and investment castings, structures and building
systems. The company has 116,000 employees in 44 countries and has been
named one of the top most sustainable corporations in the world at the
World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. More information can be found
at www.alcoa.com.
About Alcoa Foundation
Alcoa Foundation, the second largest asset-based corporate foundation in
the United States, .is a separately constituted nonprofit U.S. corporate
foundation with assets of approximately $534 million. Its mission is to
actively invest in the quality of life in Alcoa communities worldwide.
Throughout its history, the Foundation has been a source of positive
community change and enhancement, with nearly $437 million invested since
1952.
The Foundation's grants address global and local needs in over 30
countries by partnering with Alcoa communities around the world to make a
difference. Global and local grantmaking is responsive to the needs and
aspirations of Alcoa communities and marshals the combined expertise,
energies, and values of Alcoa and Alcoa Foundation to provide a
world-class standard of excellence in corporate citizenship.
In 2006, Alcoa and Alcoa Foundation invested a combined total of $42.3
million in community programs in 32 countries, focusing on four areas of
excellence: conservation and sustainability, global education and
workplace skills, business and community partnerships, and safe and
healthy children and families.
In addition to grantmaking, Alcoa Foundation offers two employee programs
to encourage volunteerism. Bravo! recognizes individual employees who
spend a minimum of 50 hours per calendar year doing volunteer work for an
approved nonprofit/non-governmental organization; in recognition of the
employee's effort, Alcoa contributes $250 to the nonprofit organization.
ACTION (Alcoans Coming Together In Our Neighborhoods) recognizes the team
efforts of at least five Alcoa employees who spend a minimum of four hours
on a community service project for a local nonprofit/non-governmental
organization; in recognition of the team's effort, Alcoa contributes
either $1,500 or $3,000 to the nonprofit organization, depending on the
size of the team.
For more information, visit www.alcoa.com, under Community.
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