“Be innovative, committed and collaborative to help make the world a
better place.” This is one of the missions of Celanese, a global
technology and specialty materials company.
This mission is driving the announcement today of the Celanese
International Impact Program, an employee volunteer program of
the Celanese Foundation that will help organizations and people around
the world address economic, social and environmental challenges. The
first projects for the Celanese International Impact Program are in
Uberlândia, Brazil, where Celanese employees will assist three
organizations that provide social services to their local communities.
The program has recently sent 10 Celanese employee volunteers to work
side-by-side with individuals and non-government organizations (NGOs) to
help them achieve their missions. Celanese employees share their
business and professional insight along with tools to enable these
beneficiaries to strengthen their strategies and infrastructures so they
can thrive over the long term.
“The company is proud of our employees who are giving their time and
talent to support these deserving organizations in Uberlândia,” said
Gretchen Rosswurm, vice president, Corporate Communications and
Corporate Social Responsibility, Celanese. “They come from China,
Singapore, Germany, the Netherlands and the United States. They are
chemists, accountants, managers, engineers and more. Each is a talented,
committed community volunteer and Celanese employee. While in Brazil,
these 10 employees will work in sub-teams to deliver specific needs for
each NGO. This includes creating a sustainable marketing model for a
community garden; enhancing volunteer retention for an organization that
supports domestic violence victims; and offering management tools for a
home that provides free housing for females undergoing medical
treatment.”
In this first phase, 10 Celanese volunteers are spending four weeks in
Uberlândia, Brazil, working with three NGOs to address local economic
and environmental challenges as follows:
1. SOS Ação Mulher e Familia de Uberlândia (SOS Women and Family of
Uberlândia), a non-profit organization that provides psychological,
social and legal assistance for victims of domestic and family violence.
The Celanese team will help the various organizations involved in the
process improve their communications and increase volunteer retention so
the organization can more effectively help victims.
2. Projeto Estação Vida (Project Life Station), a non-profit
organization that provides after-school care, education and counseling
for children and teenagers from low-income families so their parents can
work. During the half-day care, the organization provides activities
such as tutoring, music, dance and computer classes. The children and
teens also help care for a garden where they grow produce for the
organization’s own consumption. Celanese volunteers will help develop a
strategy to increase the garden’s output and sell the surplus to local
businesses and reinvest the extra income into Estação Vida’s programs
and activities.
3. Casa de Hospedagem Betesda (House of Mercy), a non-profit
organization that houses low-income female patients undergoing medical
treatment. The Celanese volunteers will improve file management
processes as guests check in and out each day as well as streamline the
process for purchasing and receiving in-kind donations of the products
it uses in daily operations so the organization will be more efficient
and can focus more on its beneficiaries.
“The key to the program’s success is connections – the 10 employees
connecting with each other, the rest of Celanese and the communities
where they serve,” Rosswurm added. “Based on initial results, Celanese
is definitely making a difference, and our employees are having a great
time in the process.”
About the Celanese Foundation
The Celanese Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization set up for Celanese
and its employees to donate time and talents toward qualified charities
worldwide. Celanese holds fundraisers to raise money for the Foundation,
where Celanese matches donations dollar-for-dollar, with all funds going
directly to the charity. The Foundation’s main two ongoing initiatives
are Global Impact Week and the Celanese International Impact Program. In
2012, Celanese employees, suppliers and the corporation provided over
$1.5 million and 20,000 volunteer hours to community support around the
world. Visit www.celanese.com/foundation
to learn more or visit www.facebook.com/Celanese.
About Celanese
Celanese Corporation (NYSE: CE) is a global technology leader
in the production of differentiated chemistry solutions and specialty
materials used in most major industries and consumer applications. With
sales almost equally divided between North America, Europe and Asia, the
company uses the full breadth of its global chemistry, technology and
business expertise to create value for customers and the corporation.
Celanese partners with customers to solve their most critical needs
while making a positive impact on its communities and the world. Based
in Dallas, Texas, Celanese employs approximately 7,600 employees
worldwide and had 2012 net sales of $6.4 billion. For more information
about Celanese Corporation and its product offerings, visit www.celanese.com
or our blog at www.celaneseblog.com.
Copyright Business Wire 2013