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Corporate Social Responsibility
News
5.15.2006 ET
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Motorola Joins (RED) to Help Eliminate AIDS in Africa
Motorola mobile phone users to contribute with each call, text and download as the UK telecommunications industry unites
Consumers can now do the RED thing with BT Mobile, Carphone Warehouse, Fresh, O2, Orange, Tesco Mobile, T-Mobile, Virgin Mobile and Vodafone
(CSRwire) BASINGSTOKE, UK - Motorola (NYSE:MOT) today unveils, with the
unanimous support of the UK Mobile Industry, (MOTO)RED - the first in a
brand new portfolio of mobile handsets created to help eliminate AIDS in
Africa.
Launched by co-founders Bono and Bobby Shriver at the World Economic Forum
last January, (PRODUCT) RED is designed to deliver a sustainable flow of
private sector money to the Global Fund to fight AIDS.
In an unprecedented demonstration of support, mobile operators and
retailers from across the UK (BT Mobile, Carphone Warehouse, Fresh, O2,
Orange, Tesco Mobile, T-Mobile, Virgin Mobile and Vodafone) have all
united behind this initiative.
The first product in Motorola's new (MOTO)RED portfolio was revealed as
the ultra slim, ultra chic red MOTOSLVR.
"RED is a 21st century idea. It's an amazing thing that these companies
are doing - lending their creativity and financial firepower to the Global
Fund's fight against AIDS in Africa, the greatest health crisis in 600
years. I think doing the RED thing, doing good, will turn out to be good
business for them," said Bono, co-creator of RED.
"Motorola has been doing business in Africa for more than 30 years, and
our support of the Global Fund is one way that we're able to give back to
the region. Additionally, with our new red model, MOTOSLVR will help
change the way people think about AIDS in Africa. We're literally placing
in people's hands an opportunity to help find a solution," said Ron
Garriques, president of Motorola Mobile Devices. "Motorola and the
retailer partners in the UK are contributing £10 from every red MOTOSLVR
handset purchase. And, starting today, our operator partners have agreed
to donate to the Global Fund 5% of the monthly revenue generated by each
red MOTOSLVR. So, with every call, every text and every download,
consumers will be able to make a difference in the fight against AIDS in
Africa every day."
Recent figures1 provided by the Global Fund demonstrate just how
significant the individual contribution every new (MOTO) RED connection
can make. The proceeds of selling just three handsets can provide a year's
worth of school materials and daily hot meals for a child orphaned by AIDS,
while 5% of the average yearly phone bill can provide 180 treatments to
prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
The new red MOTOSLVR will be available to purchase in stores throughout
the UK from 15 May 2006.
About Motorola
Motorola is known around the world for innovation and leadership in
wireless and broadband communications. Inspired by our vision of Seamless
Mobility, the people of Motorola are committed to helping you get and stay
connected simply and seamlessly to the people, information, and
entertainment that you want and need. We do this by designing and
delivering "must have" products, "must do" experiences and powerful
networks - along with a full complement of support services. A Fortune
100 company with global presence and impact, Motorola had sales of US$36.8
billion in 2005. For more information about our company, our people and
our innovations, please visit www.motorola.com
About (PRODUCT)RED
(PRODUCT)RED's primary objective is to engage the private sector in
raising awareness and funds for the Global Fund to help fight AIDS in
Africa.
Companies whose products take on the (RED) mark contribute a percentage of
the sales from that product to the Global Fund to finance AIDS programmes
in Africa, with an emphasis on the health of women and children. Current
partners are: American Express, Armani, Converse, Gap and Motorola. www.joinred.com
About the Global Fund
The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is a unique global
public-private partnership dedicated to attracting and disbursing
additional resources to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and
malaria. This partnership between governments, civil society, the private
sector and affected communities represents a new approach to international
health financing. The Fund works in close collaboration with other
bilateral and multilateral organizations to supplement existing efforts
dealing with the three diseases.
Apart from a high standard of technical quality, the Global Fund attaches
no conditions to any of its grants. It is not an implementing agency,
instead relying on local ownership and planning to ensure that new
resources are directed to programs on the frontline of this global effort
to reach those most in need. Its performance-based approach to
grant-making is designed to ensure that funds are used efficiently and
create real change for people and communities. All programs are monitored
by independent organizations contracted by the Global Fund to ensure that
its funding has an impact in the fight against these three pandemics,
which together kill over 6 million people per year. AIDS alone kills over
3 million people per year.
As of end December 2005, 384,000 people have begun Antiretroviral (ARV)
treatment through Global Fund supported programs, which is nearly triple
the number of ARV recipients funded by Global Fund resources by the end of
2004. Around half of the Global Fund's financing ($5.2 billion committed to
385 programs in 130 countries) is being spent on medicines, mosquito nets
to prevent malaria and other products, while the other half is for
strengthening health services. Taken together, Global Fund supported
programs to combat malaria expanded distribution of insecticide treated
bed nets to 7.7 million. In addition, tuberculosis programs have detected
and treated more than one million TB cases through DOTS (Directly Observed
Short Course Treatment). www.theglobalfund.org
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