Alcoa and Alcoa Foundation Announce Annual 2012 Giving Totaling More than $40 Million and 800,000 Hours of Volunteerism

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Alcoa (NYSE:AA) and Alcoa Foundation announced combined community giving of more than $40 million in 2012, compared with $38 million in 2011, as well as 800,000 hours of employee volunteerism worth $29 million. The annual giving results were released today in recognition of International Corporate Philanthropy Day, which celebrates business-community partnerships around the world.

“Recognizing the changing demographics of the global workforce, in 2012, Alcoa Foundation began to focus more on targeted programs that reach diverse populations, particularly in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education and workforce development in manufacturing”

Alcoa Inc. contributed $18 million last year to support projects and partnerships with non-governmental and nonprofit organizations around the world. In addition, Alcoa Foundation directed $21.5 million in funding towards enhancing the environment, educating tomorrow's workforce for careers in advanced manufacturing and engineering, and strengthening communities where Alcoa operates around the world. In Brazil, Instituto Alcoa distributed $1.5 million towards programs that meet the needs of people and communities near Alcoa’s operations.

“Recognizing the changing demographics of the global workforce, in 2012, Alcoa Foundation began to focus more on targeted programs that reach diverse populations, particularly in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education and workforce development in manufacturing,” said Paula Davis, President, Alcoa Foundation and Vice President, Alcoa Inc.

“International Corporate Philanthropy Day is a great way to celebrate the breadth of work that corporations do around the world and, for Alcoa, highlight our regional efforts that serve diverse individuals, from women and girls in Canada to people with disabilities in Brazil to minorities in the U.S. While diversity is defined differently across geographic regions, our goals are the same – to prepare the next generation of leaders for prosperous and satisfying careers in STEM and manufacturing,” said Davis.

Focus on diversity

According to an analysis by the Society for Human Resource Management, North American companies embrace change that involves greater diversity overall. In Western Europe, there is a stronger focus on attracting and retaining female employees, with less emphasis on other minority groups. In Asia, companies believe they are already diverse, but that additional measures would ensure future growth. Alcoa sees opportunities across the board and is already seeing advancements.

Alcoa Foundation Diversity Investment Highlights:

National Society of Black Engineers – NSBE's Summer Engineering Experience for Kids (SEEK) program increases elementary school students' aptitude in math and science and their interest in pursuing STEM career fields, by having them engage in interactive, team-based engineering projects.
Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers – Noche de Ciencias for students in K-12, is a hands-on event that promotes knowledge and interest about science and engineering as well as scholarship and college opportunities. In addition, there are college preparation and financial workshops for parents that are facilitated in English and Spanish.
Society of Women Engineers – Student chapters at University of Michigan, North Carolina A&T State University, Ohio State University, Purdue University and the University of Tennessee use a variety of programming to spark girls' interest in engineering and technology, enhancing their understanding and awareness of STEM-related careers.
FHI 360 – Four Pillars PLUS improves primary and secondary education for 500 girls in Guinea by providing scholarships, mentors, workforce readiness workshops, professional development for teachers, and support for Parent-Teacher Associations, with an emphasis on the mobilization of mothers.
Carrefour Jeunesse-Emploi de Portneuf – Through exploration workshops, internships and publications, Women Who Dare improves the financial situations of women in Canada without diplomas and increases the number of women working in untraditional trades.
Civic Center Public Utility Foundation – The Hello Work online employment agency gives blind or weak-sighted people in Hungary an opportunity to reach the job market.

Catalyst Award

Earlier this year, Alcoa was named a 2013 Catalyst Award recipient, honoring innovative organizational approaches that address the recruitment, development, and advancement of women in the workplace. Alcoa was recognized for its global initiative, “Building Opportunities for Women in a ‘Hard Hat’ Company,” which showcases how the Company broke down barriers in a male-dominated industry and achieved greater gender representation and inclusivity through an aggressive diversity agenda.

Record Employee Volunteerism

In 2012, Alcoa achieved record employee-community engagement, with 60 percent of employees participating in the company’s annual Month of Service. In total, Alcoa’s global workforce volunteered more than 800,000 hours, 15 percent of which was skills-based, and the equivalent of 385 people working full-time for a year.

About Alcoa Foundation

Alcoa Foundation is one of the largest corporate foundations in the U.S., with assets of approximately US$460 million. Founded 60 years ago, Alcoa Foundation has invested more than US$570 million since 1952. In 2012, Alcoa Foundation contributed more than US$21 million to nonprofit organizations throughout the world, building innovative partnerships to improve the environment and educate tomorrow’s leaders for careers in manufacturing and engineering. The work of Alcoa Foundation is further enhanced by Alcoa’s thousands of employee volunteers who share their talents and time to make a difference in the communities where Alcoa operates. Through the Company’s signature Month of Service program, in 2012, a record 60 percent of Alcoa employees took part in more than 1,050 events across 24 countries, benefiting more than 450,000 people and 2,050 nonprofit organizations. For more information, visit www.alcoafoundation.com and follow @AlcoaFoundation on Twitter.

About Alcoa

Alcoa is the world’s leading producer of primary and fabricated aluminum, as well as the world’s largest miner of bauxite and refiner of alumina. In addition to inventing the modern-day aluminum industry, Alcoa innovation has been behind major milestones in the aerospace, automotive, packaging, building and construction, commercial transportation, consumer electronics and industrial markets over the past 125 years. Among the solutions Alcoa markets are flat-rolled products, hard alloy extrusions, and forgings, as well as Alcoa® wheels, fastening systems, precision and investment castings, and building systems in addition to its expertise in other light metals such as titanium and nickel-based super alloys. Sustainability is an integral part of Alcoa’s operating practices and the product design and engineering it provides to customers. Alcoa has been a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for 11 consecutive years and approximately 75 percent of all of the aluminum ever produced since 1888 is still in active use today. Alcoa employs approximately 61,000 people in 30 countries across the world. For more information, visit www.alcoa.com and follow @Alcoa on Twitter at twitter.com/Alcoa.