Building Stronger Communities

Charitable contributions by international companies have increased by 123 percent over the past decade, compared to 19 percent in growth by the overall private sector during the same period.

In their quest to give back to the U.S. communities where they operate, GBA member companies have made big contributions to social programs across a wide swath of issues. For example, Grifols has established a Community Outreach Program which allows each of their 220 U.S. plasma donor centers to identify community-specific needs and accompanying engagement efforts, Novo Nordisk has established a program to address the public health epidemic of diabetes in American urban areas, and Teva Pharmaceuticals has helped develop solutions for patients with multiple chronic conditions. GBA member companies Philips NA and BNP Paribas have worked to help U.S. military veterans with pressing medical and support issues.

In addition to the GBA members focused on education issues, Michelin North America has launched a tire-safety education program to help young American drivers, and Tate & Lyle has partnered with local programs to ensure that Chicago-area elementary students get a healthy breakfast before school starts. Randstad North America has established “Randstad with Heart,” which encourages its employees to volunteer — even giving them paid volunteer time — and donate to charitable organizations.