Microsoft on the Issues Blog: One Billion and Counting…
Posted by Lisa Brummel
Chief People Officer, Microsoft
In October of last year, we marked the 30th Employee Giving Campaign and celebrated a major milestone: $1 billion in cash raised by U.S. employees and our company match for more than 31,000 global nonprofit and community organizations since the start of the campaign in 1983.
Four months later, we’ve tallied the result for 2012 alone and we’re proud to share that the Employee Giving Program raised $105 million last year for 18,755 unique nonprofit and community organizations in the United States and around the world.
Microsoft’s Employee Giving Program is one of the largest in the world. Its impact is local and global, and real. At its heart stands our employees’ dedication to their communities, near and far. Time and again, I am impressed by the impactful stories they have shared with me, such as the employee who established the North Dakota Autism Center (NDAC), focused on bringing services to families affected by autism in the areas in and around Fargo. The center’s mission is clear: to help children affected by autism spectrum disorder (AUD) realize their full potential through excellence in care, therapy, instruction and support.
Our employees tell us that they join Microsoft to make a difference in the lives of others, knowing that we will actively support them in doing so. Each year Microsoft matches employee volunteer time at $17 per hour and dollar-for-dollar charitable contributions to all eligible nonprofits up to $12,000 per employee. In 2012, nearly two-thirds of Microsoft U.S. employees participated in the Employee Giving program.
While employees are free to donate to any cause they care about, most are drawn to nonprofits dedicated to providing education opportunities for children, discovering cures for illness and disease, and providing aid during international humanitarian crises. Four nonprofits have received the most employee donations since we started our program: World Vision, Seattle Children’s Hospital, United Way of King County, and American National Red Cross. We granted them an additional $25,000 in October, the impact of which is already making a difference.
The Employee Giving Program is emblematic of two of Microsoft’s core values: our respect and appreciation for our employees, and our dedication to serving the communities where we live and work. We have an immense amount of gratitude for all the Microsoft employees who participated, either by coordinating and participating in fundraising efforts during our October kick-off, or by quietly donating to the causes they believe in. We also want to extend our appreciation to our nonprofit and community partners who dedicate themselves every day to making a difference in the lives of hundreds of millions of people around the world.
I am absolutely confident that Microsoft employees will continue to vigorously support others less fortunate. In fact, I predict that we will reach the next billion dollars in giving within a decade. Given the passion and dedication of our people, it would not surprise me at all…
