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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