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February 20, 2009
More than 3000 of Alcoa’s employees got involved with voluntary work in 2008
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The BRAVO! Program that encourages and recognizes the voluntary work of Alcoa employees recorded more than 167,400 hours of activities in benefit of the community last year, with the participation some 3300 of the company’s employees
Some 3300 employees (53%) from Alcoa in Brazil were involved with volunteer activities last year via the company’s BRAVO! Program, which shows the commitment of ‘Alcoans’ to those communities where its units are located. Company volunteers notched up a total of 167,400 hors of dedication to deserving entities.
BRAVO!, which was launched in 2002 in all of Alcoa’s units worldwide, is a program that donates the equivalent of US$ 250 to the institution chosen by each Alcoa employee who does 50 hours of voluntary work in the institution during his/her free time during the year.
The voluntary activities carried out by the employees of Alcoa in this program alone provided the equivalent in Brazilian reais of US$ 837,000 (almost R$1.9 million) in donations to more than 390 institutions in various states. Among the units that took part in the program are Tubarão (SC), Santo André (SP), Juruti (PA), Itapissuma (PE) and Itajubá (MG).
The location that stands out in terms of volunteer activities associated with the BRAVO! program is Tubarão (SC) where 84% of the employees took part, followed by Poços de Caldas (MG) with 82% and São Luis (MA), with 67%.
The funds earmarked by Alcoa for community programs and projects are, as a priority, directed towards institutions and programs where employees are truly involved. There is a double benefit for the entities: the service provided by the volunteers and the financial resources they receive.
Alcoa in Brazil also has a program that works in the same way as the global program, although it is only for trainees: BRAVO!Brasil. Each trainee who does 40 hours of volunteer work in the same institution outside working hours receives from the Alcoa institute a donation of R$ 275 for the entity.
Last year more than 90 trainees took part in this program, 3,880 hours of voluntary work was provided and R$ 26,675 was given in contributions to entities. Tubarão (SC) was the unit with the greatest participation of trainees (91%).
About the Alcoa Foundation
The aim of the Alcoa Foundation, whose headquarters are in the United States and which was founded in 1952, is to allocate funds to projects in the communities where the Company has units everywhere in the world. These fund injections are, as a priority, earmarked for programs in which there is an effective and voluntary participation on the part of Company employees and members of their families. During its history the Alcoa Foundation has proved to be a source of change and improvement in communities and some US$ 466 million have been invested since it was set up.
In 2007 donations from Alcoa and the Alcoa Foundation totaled more than US$ 49 million in 34 countries. Since 1995, the Foundation and the Alcoa Institute together have donated some R$ 85 million to more than 1700 social projects that have benefited 25 cities in Brazil and more than 850,000 hours of volunteer work have been done.
Among the highlights of the Alcoa Foundation’s donations are investments of U$ 8.6 million to the six-year Conservation and Sustainability Fellowship Program, aimed at research in the area of global conservation and sustainability through partnerships with renowned academic institutions and non-governmental organizations located on all continents. The University of São Paulo (USP) is the Brazilian partner-institution in this project, which provides international recognition for researchers from the university and the advance of studies in the environmental area.
About the Alcoa Institute
The main objective of the Alcoa Institute, which was set up in Brazil in 1990, is to improve the living conditions of the communities where the Company and its subsidiaries operate. Through its social programs and from the donations of Group companies, in addition to the additional resources coming from the Alcoa Foundation, the Institute funds projects that meet the real needs and wants of these communities. The activities are predominantly in the areas of education, health, the environment and social well-being. These actions by Alcoa have a strong ally in the commitment of the Company’s employees to volunteer activities.
In 2008, Alcoa, the Alcoa Institute and the Alcoa Foundation, together, donated funds totaling R$ 10.2 million that were distributed in the form of one-off donations, community projects and volunteer programs. Since 1955 these donations have already reached R$90 million in more than 1800 community projects, totaling more than 1 million hours of voluntary work. Just in 2008 more than 940,000 people benefited in 32 Brazilian municipalities.
About Alcoa
Alcoa is the world leader in the production and management of primary aluminum, fabricated aluminum and alumina combined, through its active and growing participation 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® wheels, fastening systems, precision and investment castings, and building systems. The Company has been named one of the top most sustainable corporations in the world at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland and has been a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for seven consecutive years. More information can be found at www.alcoa.com
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