Community investment

In addition to the economic impact generated through its business activities, UBS, together with its employees, seeks to have a positive influence on the social and environmental well-being of local communities in which it is active. The firm does this through its well established community affairs program.

This program encompasses activities such as direct cash donations to selected organizations, employee volunteering, matched-giving schemes, in-kind donations, disaster relief efforts, and / or partnerships with community groups, educational institutions and cultural organizations. Dedicated teams around the world work closely with staff at all levels to build partnerships with organizations in the communities, focusing on the key themes of “Empowerment through education” and “Building a stronger community”.

Overall, in 2007, UBS and its affiliated foundations donated more than CHF 46 million to support charitable causes. UBS employees, through their donations and volunteer efforts, make further significant contributions to the communities they live in. Last year, almost 8,000 employees spent over 80,000 hours volunteering. UBS supports their commitment by matching their donations and offering, depending on location, up to two working days a year for volunteering efforts.

UBS has also established a number of foundations and associations that donate money to worthy causes in Switzerland. The association “A Helping Hand from UBS Employees” assists disabled and disadvantaged people to lead active, independent lives. UBS encourages this employee involvement by matching the funds raised in 2007. The UBS Cultural Foundation fosters creativity, appreciation of different forms of art, and contact between artists and society. The foundation financially supports fine arts, film, literature, music, preservation of historic buildings, archaeological projects and studies in history and philosophy in Switzerland. In similar fashion, the purpose of the UBS Foundation for Social Issues and Education is to support deprived communities in Switzerland in various forms. Nonprofit, charitable organizations, projects and initiatives aiming at improving social welfare receive monetary assistance from these funds.

Client foundation

Besides the engagement of the firm and its employees, UBS also provides its clients with the opportunity to contribute to charitable causes. The UBS Optimus Foundation invests donations from UBS clients into a number of programs and organizations, focusing on the key themes of children and medical and biological research. The projects involve close collaboration with respected partner organizations and are selected by a team of specialists within the foundation, who also closely monitor their implementation. The costs of managing and administering the UBS Optimus Foundation are borne by UBS, so that the full contribution from the firm’s clients reaches the projects. In 2007, UBS Optimus Foundation spent almost CHF 11 million supporting 55 projects in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe and North and South America.

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