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Employee Volunteer Initiatives—Programs & Actions
Month of Service
Alcoa’s Worldwide Month of Service is the centerpiece of Alcoa’s volunteer program, taking the form of an annual month-long company-wide event that visibly recognizes Alcoa volunteers and encourages deeper levels of volunteerism and community engagement.
With the emerging world financial crisis in 2008, Alcoa employees rallied to reach out in record numbers to make a difference. Across 26 countries, 21,975 Alcoa employees volunteered during the October event, partnering with 1,670 NGOs and community groups in 699 events and positively impacting more than 50,000 lives through varied projects—serving meals, planting trees, repairing community infrastructure, and improving child literacy.
Their efforts resulted in measurable community improvements—more than 20,000 trees planted, 7,300 meals served, 160 natural areas restored, and 270 community facilities and shelters repaired. Alcoa employees also worked to drive sustainable change in areas such as environmental conservation, carbon reduction, and injury prevention by running community workshops to raise awareness of critical issues.
Managerial participation in Month of Service has increased fivefold since 2006, with 318 managers actively involved in 2006, 1,365 in 2007, and 1,951 in 2008. Through their example and visible participation, Alcoa leaders have been advocates for this flagship volunteer event across the business and resource units over which they preside. They have transferred best practice across the world, resulting in the establishment of new philanthropic capacity and greater engagement between Alcoans and the communities in which they live and work.
2008 Results
- 21,975 employees (23.9% of the global workforce) participating (up from 17,179 in 2007);
- Of these, 1,951 were managers (up from 1,533 in 2007);
- A 28% increase in the total number of employees participating, despite an approximately 19% contraction in the workforce since 2007;
- A 27% increase in the number of managers participating;
- 24% overall employee participation rate;
- 52,059 overall participants, including members of the community;
- 31% of the events involved an Alcoa Foundation grantee;
- More than 49,936 community members were assisted by the projects undertaken;
- More than 20,000 trees planted;
- More than 24,000 children assisted around the world in their schools and playground and shelters;
- More than 300 schools benefited;
- More than 160 rivers, parks and recreation areas cleaned up and improved;
- More than 1600 elderly people assisted;
- More than 7,300 meals served to those in need;
- More than 270 shelters, homes, and other local infrastructure repaired, rebuilt, or supported; and
- More than 180 workshops run on environment conservation, recycling, 5S (a tool used to attain an orderly workplace) health, and safety.
Month of Service is underpinned by Alcoa’s year-round volunteer programs, ACTION and Bravo!, that foster a sustainable culture of service. These programs match grants to support employee volunteerism in the community, compounding the value of time invested.
Performance data
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ACTION
ACTION (Alcoans Coming together in Our Neighborhood) supports the efforts of employee teams who volunteer together on a half- or full-day community service project.
Employee ACTION teams contribute time, energy, and skills to vital community programs and projects. Alcoa matches their time with grants up to US$3,000 to help build the capacity of the local benefiting non-profit organization.
ACTION projects are as diverse as the locations where Alcoa operates and always address a local community need—whether it is improving environmental sustainability by constructing a compost garden and rainwater capture system at an elementary school in Viveiro, Spain, or renovating the building of a United Way community center to improve its service infrastructure in Kingston, New York, USA.
In 2008, 9,372 employees provided more than 46,412 hours of community service through the ACTION program, earning the organizations they served more than US$1.6 million in grants.
Performance data
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Bravo!
Bravo! supports the efforts of individual employees who volunteer at least 50 hours a year with a local non-profit organization.
Through Bravo!, Alcoa employees are supported in their civic engagement efforts and encouraged to remain closely connected to their communities. In recognition of the volunteer time given by individual employees, Alcoa grants US$250 to the benefiting organization.
Bravo! volunteers support a wide-ranging spectrum of the not-for-profit sector—from community health and social welfare organizations to educational, cultural, and civic charitable institutions. Their efforts strengthen local organizations and improve grassroots sustainability.
In 2008, 9,245 Alcoa employees registered with the Bravo! program, contributing over 664,243 volunteer hours and earning local organizations almost US$2.4 million in grants.
Combined participation in the 2008 ACTION and Bravo! programs resulted in more than 705,000 volunteer hours, or the equivalent of 350 people working full time. This employee contribution resulted in 9,847 matching grants totaling almost $4 million to organizations in 22 countries.
Performance data
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Case Studies
Alcoa Volunteers Help Students Create Sustainable Futures
Bravo! in Action
Jamalco Book Blitz Part of Alcoa's Worldwide Month of Service
Partnership Revitalizes Community, Preserves Australian History
Dedicated Alcoa Volunteers Plant Trees for the Long-Term
Employee Volunteers Take Action at Honduras Children's Shelter
Keeping Schoolchildren Safe and Healthy in Guinea
Turning Employees into Community Volunteers in Russia
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