Posted on February 28, 2012

Alcoa, Alcoa Foundation Award $38 Million to Charity in 2011

Alcoa, a leading producer of primary and fabricated aluminum, and its charitable foundation have announced 2011 grants totaling $38 million, an increase of $1.2 million over 2010.

In 2011, the company awarded $17 million to charity, while the Alcoa Foundation provided an additional $21 million in support of projects and organizations working to improve the environment, educate tomorrow's leaders, and assist communities in the thirty-one countries where Alcoa operates. In addition, a record 56 percent of Alcoa employees participated in more than 1,200 events across twenty-four countries as part of the company's annual Month of Service. In total, the company's global workforce volunteered more than 900,000 hours in 2011, averaging more than sixteen hours per employee.

The Alcoa Foundation also announced grants totaling $1.1 million in the year to date for programs that aim to increase the number of students enrolled in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education initiatives as well as initiatives that train individuals for careers in engineering and manufacturing. Grant recipients include the Academy of Model Aeronautics, American Corporate Partners, Engineers Without Borders International, the FIRST Tech Challenge, the Manufacturing Institute, and the Metals Service Center Institute.

The grants were announced in conjunction with International Corporate Philanthropy Day, which aims to mobilize the business community to share best practices, develop partnerships, and engage employees and other stakeholders for more strategic and effective societal investments. "International Corporate Philanthropy Day is an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to a model of 'shared value creation,'" said Alcoa Foundation president Paula Davis, "where, together with governments, businesses, civic groups, and our employees, we engage in work that makes communities stronger for us all."