The Siemens Caring Hands Program
Siemens has been active for decades in many countries of the world. Our Regional Companies have deep roots in their respective countries and are a part of the societies where they do business – in Europe, America, Asia, or Africa. Our success obligates us to contribute to development in the regions and give something back to society. We do this on a continuing basis in many different ways with donations, sponsoring, products, and expertise. We established the Siemens Caring Hands program in 2005 to coordinate and bundle these activities worldwide. Our employees’ commitment to volunteering is an important component of this program.
A good corporate citizen
Especially in developing countries, strong partners must lend their support to improve living conditions. But companies must be committed to helping in developed countries as well to close gaps in infrastructure, social aid and assistance, or the educational system. Our efforts for Siemens Caring Hands concentrate on projects where we can utilize our experience and technologies in health, the environment, infrastructure, and education. Our efforts are not solely focused on closing gaps left by the state. As a good corporate citizen, we consciously choose to share in the lives of our fellow citizens and pitch in to make a better society.
Project selection criteria
When selecting projects eligible for Caring Hands support, we look at the criteria of sustainability, reliability, and long-term significance. In other words, the projects we support should systematically improve living conditions over the long term. They should have a realistic chance of success, and their goals should be measurable. The selected projects and cooperation partners must be non-profit organizations that work for the benefit of children, youth, or socially disadvantaged groups; the groups must also be a good match for our corporate culture.
Employee volunteer work
We also encourage our employees to get involved in volunteer benefit projects. We often support them by providing funds or materials to the projects they are working on, and we excuse them from work. When we see a need to act in a given region, we work with non-profit organizations to initiate projects ourselves that give our local employees a way to volunteer and provide assistance (corporate volunteering).
The intercultural team from “InterGreat!” helps green the roof of the shed for small animals on the children’s farm Munich, July 2008.
To ensure that our employees’ dedication and hard work does as much good as possible for the non-profit organizations, we empower them with special training classes such as team-building seminars. We also profit from the commitment and expertise our employees gain through working on such projects. Volunteering for a project together with their co-workers strengthens employees’ team spirit and improves their social communication skills.
Even a small sampling of our projects shows how Siemens employees volunteer to help other people:
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Argentina: Putting fun into reading for kids
Siemens sponsors a foundation that encourages children to read (Spanish).
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Brazil: Ecology trail
Siemens Brazil has laid out an ecology trail through the 4.5 hectares of rainforest surrounding its São Paulo headquarters. Escorted along the trail by volunteer guides, schoolchildren have an opportunity to learn about local flora and fauna, water treatment, waste recycling and environmental and climate protection.
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United Kingdom: Conservation
To support conservation projects at local nature reserves, Siemens Great Britain not only donates funds to Nottingham City Council and the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, Siemens employees also volunteer their time to advance this long term environmental project.
- Hong Kong: Partnering to help the needy
Since 2003, we have been partnering with the charity St. James’ Settlement. Siemens employees volunteer their time for community projects chosen and managed by the organization. - Malaysia: A family for a day
Since 2001, Siemens Malaysia has regularly held a Family Art & Creative Workshop in which Siemens employees organize a day of creative fun for disadvantaged children. - Mexico: concerted action for children at various Siemens locations
On “Children’s Day“ employees from the Guadalajara, Monterrey and Sede Central locations are involved in various activities for children and orphans. Siemens employees and their families also participate in environmental activities and clean up public parks or carry out reafforestation projects (Spanish). - Ukraine: help for sick children
Siemens Ukraine’s foundation "Chernobyl Children" is primarily involved in a long-term project for the early diagnosis and treatment of thyroid diseases in children. -
United States: Community initiatives, nationwide
Thousands of Siemens employees in the U.S. take part in a wide range community initiatives – from volunteer projects to giving campaigns – through the Siemens Caring Hands program.
Donations for those in need
Our social giving focuses on those who generally receive little aid or assistance and live in dire poverty. Such conditions hit children the hardest, and affect the future that we all share. Donations help us close the gaps and are in our own interest to help society progress. Because as inequality between rich and poor grows, so does instability and a tendency towards political dictatorship. We depend on politically stable and reliable structures for business success over the long term. We mainly concentrate on the areas of water and health, education and integration and we provide both monetary and technical aid. We apply stringent criteria to our social giving worldwide.
We apply stringent criteria to our social giving worldwide.
The United Nations Poverty Report 2000 analyzed the situation in certain countries and defined a strategy for improving the situation. Our activities are based on the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.
Educational programs and helping people help themselves
Education is a central prerequisite for sustainably improving people's lives. This is why we developed specific programs for socially disadvantaged people, in addition to our Siemens Generation21 Excellence Program. The spectrum of our educational activities ranges from literacy programs to ongoing training for physicians – for instance in China. Many of our projects also aim to enable people to lead self-determined, better lives through knowledge and skills.
Partnerships and cooperative agreements
We support selected aid organizations, sponsor social assistance projects, and fund non-profit foundations. When we enter into such partnerships, we take care to ensure that they can continue over the long term. Siemens maintains partnerships with many internationally active charitable organizations.
Siemens and its employees donated €100,000 to the UNICEF “Survival Package“ campaign in Sierra Leone.
Various project examples from all over the world:
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Africa: partnership with UNICEF
In 2003 we entered into a partnership with UNICEF with the joint goal of supporting young people independently of sex, religion, nationality or other characteristics. With the founding of the Siemens Stiftung this partnership was transferred to the foundation.
- China: supplying the population in rural areas with water
With its “Green Village Program,“ launched in 2007, Siemens China is improving the living conditions of the rural population with innovative solutions that ensure a supply of drinking water and increase energy efficiency. -
India: a better future for orphans
Siemens India has a 5-year partnership with St. Catherine’s Home, an orphanage in Mumbai and is providing €75,000 for the renovation and extension of the building. Siemens employees are also regularly active in the orphanage on a voluntary basis.
- Pakistan: „Light for Life“
Solar power systems supplied by Siemens Pakistan are providing some 40 families in the remote Kashmiri village of Sharda Maidan with access to electricity and enabling the nearby health center to deliver around-the-clock medical care. - Switzerland: Practical training
As part of a collaborative initiative with the organization Swisscontact, Siemens in Switzerland supports the Dinh Quan vocational training center in Vietnam, where young people can train to work as electricians, mechanics, and computer operators (German). -
South Africa: Youth Space and the fight against HIV/AIDS
Siemens South Africa is supporting five homes that offer safe havens to between 40 and 50 children from disadvantaged backgrounds. In addition to shelter and regular meals, the children in the homes receive care, attention and the schooling which will give them a future.
Both as a member of the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS and through its own programs, especially in South Africa, Siemens supports the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Disaster relief
Natural disasters are on the rise, and hurricanes, cyclones, earthquakes and floods often affect regions where Siemens makes its home. We therefore consider it our duty to get help to the victims quickly and with no red tape.
Technical support for all phases of disaster relief
Siemens disaster relief activities are divided into three areas:
- Immediate aid after the disaster
- Support during rebuilding efforts
- Alleviating the disaster's aftereffects
During the immediate aid and rebuilding phases, we not only provide funds but donate products and make our expertise available. Some examples of this are our mobile X-ray machines and water filters, which are installed by our employees. In fiscal 2008 Siemens delivered water filters to Bangladesh, China and Myanmar. With activities such as these, Siemens uses its expertise to repair infrastructure damage and bridge the immediate post-disaster period by alleviating drinking water shortages.
Efficient organizational processes are important
We have developed an organizational process that has proven itself many times over by quickly providing products and financial support. Siemens experts go to the scene of major disasters to assess how best to help. Depending on the extent and type of disaster, we decide on appropriate support measures:
- Regional or global appeals to our employees for donations
- Corporate donations
- Provision of products
- Support with technical expertise
The Siemens Corporate Executive Committee makes the decision to appeal worldwide for donations. Further decisions are made in close cooperation with the Regional Company of the country concerned.
Victims of natural disasters receive aid from Siemens in the form of donations, products and technical expertise.
Siemens foundations around the world
We established foundations in various parts of the world. In this way we pursued the goal of promoting the common welfare on location as efficiently as possible. more