Alcoa Foundation awarded a $100,000 grant to the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) in 2003 for the water quality management of the Cris - Koros Basin. The grant’s objectives are to develop the capacity of organizations in Hungary and Romania that monitor water quality, and to promote quality water management with community stakeholders.
Through the grant, ICPDR will purchase water analysis and monitoring equipment for microbiological and chemical elements, train staff in the use of the equipment, and mount an ecological awareness campaign through publications in the Danube Watch and presentations to community groups. In 2002, Alcoa Foundation also awarded a $35,000 grant to ICPDR for a total organic carbon and nitrogen analyzer that is used by the Grigore Antipa- National Institute for Marine Research and Development in Romania. In 2003, Alcoa-Romania and Alcoa Foundation awarded another $10,500 grant to the Institute for additional equipment.
Business Case for the Grant - The ICPDR grant reflects Alcoa’s commitment to the environment, which is based on the principles of sustainable development. Sustainable development is often referred to as the ‘Triple Bottom Line’ -- taking into account economics, the environment and social responsibility. Globally, Alcoa’s businesses and locations consider conservation and sustainability issues in ways to safeguard the environment.
Community Investment in Europe - The Foundation awards grants in the areas of Conservation and Sustainability, Safe and Healthy Children and Families, Global Education and Workplace Skills, and Business and Community Partnerships. At the heart of the Foundation’s approach to grantmaking is the important role that Alcoa locations play in working directly with community stakeholders and organizations to identify and pursue grant employee engagement opportunities.
In Europe between 2001 and 2003, the Foundation awarded over $4,900,000 in grants to 264 community-based organizations. Alcoa also funded $261,000 in grants to organizations where 87 teams of Alcoans came together to volunteer an estimated 3,480 hours.
During this same timeframe, Alcoa’s European locations identified 36 conservation and sustainability grants for environmental research and awareness programs with community-based groups, and organized over 30 teams of Alcoans to clean up sections of rivers and parks.
Alcoa Europe’s community investment strategy builds on these local efforts to pursue regional projects that will benefit two or more countries where Alcoa has operations, and the ICPDR grant is an example of a regional project.
Regional conservation and sustainability projects facilitate the exchange of promising practices and lessons learned from western to eastern European countries, develop networks of experts and organizations with programs that can be replicated, and cultivate relationships among private and public sector stakeholders.
The exchange of practices and lessons are particularly important as Romania and Hungary undergo the accession process to become members of the European Union, and are required to comply with European Water Framework Directive.
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Danube River
Alcoa Foundation
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Alcoa's commitment to sustainability
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Progress we're making in the region
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Official UN press release on this project
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