Winter 2008 - 2009
Applied Materials is committed to being a responsible corporate citizen in communities where we do business. By donating our time, energy and resources where we believe we can have the greatest impact, we are collectively acting upon our conviction that making a positive social contribution defines not only who we are, but what we do.
Included below are recent highlights of our community activities. For previous reports, visit our archive.
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Tech Awards: Solar Nano-Technology Improves the Way People Live
Applied Materials is proud to be the presenting sponsor of The Tech Awards . One of the 25 innovations recognized at the November 2008 awards ceremony in San Jose, California was the Portable Light Project, which embeds flexible, solar nano-technology into textiles that can harvest energy and generate light.
For the two billion impoverished people who live without electricity in remote areas around the world, solar power represents a way to improve education, healthcare and incomes, but large glass-based solar panels are fragile and too expensive to manufacture and transport over rough terrain.
The Portable Light Project Team created a lightweight, portable solar textile kit. The kit allows people to use traditional weaving and sewing techniques to create clothing, blankets, and bags that harvest energy while used during the day. At night, the bags become a light source, offering unprecedented opportunities to study and work after dark.
The Tech Awards is an annual international program that honors innovators from around the world who are creating technology solutions to address the most urgent critical issues facing our planet in the areas of education, equality, environment, health and economic development.
The Tech Awards accepts nominations year-round. For consideration for the 2009 event, nominations must be received by March 26, 2009.
Related Links:
The Tech Awards
Tech Awards Nomination Process
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Employees Around the Globe Make a Positive Social Contribution
By donating time and financial resources, employees around the globe are helping to build a brighter future for our neighbors. Holiday gift distributions, disaster relief support, and activities to help feed the hungry were the focus of this quarter’s efforts.
Holiday Celebrations: In Taiwan, the Applied Materials Fu-Ta ("Helping Others") Club, a volunteer employee organization, has been working for three years with the Taiwan Children and Families Fund (CCF), which provides financial and educational assistance to low-income and native children and families. As part of CCF's "Fulfill Your Dreams" program, AMT employees answered the Christmas wishes of 158 children, buying and wrapping presents for each one.
Disaster Relief: The Company, its employees and the Applied Materials Foundation responded to the floods in Bihar, India, and Hurricane Ike in Texas and Louisiana with monetary contributions totaling $37,500.
North America Employee Giving & Food Drive Programs: During the Employee Giving Program for 2008, employee gifts, plus matching funds from the Applied Materials Foundation, resulted in almost $2.5 million for schools and charities – at a time when needs are great. In addition, the Food Drive generated employee gifts plus a Foundation match of more than $1 million – enough to provide 2 million nutritious meals for those struggling with hunger across North America.
In Boise, the Idaho Micron account observed a week of themed food donations to benefit the Idaho Food Bank, collecting frozen turkeys, peanut butter and jelly, canned food items, and cases of tuna. And in Oregon, Applied employees came together to scoop, bag, twist-tie, box, and label 18,036 pounds of beans, enough to provide nutrition for nearly 14,000 for people in need. The volunteer group included employees from around the United States as well as visiting customer engineers from China, Ireland and Israel.
Related Links:
Community Commitment
Civic Engagement
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Employee Fitness Contributes to Community Wellness
Employees at Applied sites around the globe took to the streets to run or walk for good causes, including renewable energy projects, affordable housing and local food banks.
More than 7,500 community members gathered in San Jose on Thanksgiving morning to participate in The Applied Materials Silicon Valley Turkey Trot to raise funds for local charities addressing housing, hunger and health insurance needs in Silicon Valley.
A Torch Run at Applied’s Austin facility generated contributions for the Capital Area Food Bank of Central Texas, and the Austin site celebrated reaching the $2 million mark for donations made over the past 10 years to the agency.
In Alzenau, Germany, employees made an impressive showing at the 10th annual Solarlauf (Solar Run) organized by the solar association, Solarverein Alzenau e.V., a nonprofit organization that support renewable energy projects in the region.
Related Links:
Community Commitment
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Building a Sustainable Future
Applied is committed to educating ourselves and our neighbors about the need to create a sustainable future.
Bright Future Card Game: The company recently created and distributed, free of charge to schools and youth service organizations, the Bright Future Card Game, an innovative tool for teaching sustainability and environmental concepts to children in a fun and flexible way. Intended for ages nine and up, the card game provides an interactive and easy-to-use aid for teachers to help students better understand how their actions can affect the planet. Plans are under way to train teachers and distribute the card game in Singapore.
Roots & Shoots in China: Applied Materials China teamed up with the Jane Goodall Institute Roots & Shoots program to launch a "No Plastic Bags" campaign meant to inform students - elementary through college - about the pollution associated with the manufacture and disposal of plastic bags and to encourage the use of reusable bags in Shanghai, China. The campaign was conducted at 25 schools and reached 10,000 students. Each student decorated a "green" cloth bag and was asked to help his or her family reduce consumption of plastic bags by 50 percent. Applied volunteers plan to participate in this program again in the spring of 2009.
Climate Change: Ceres, a national organization working to integrate sustainability into capital markets for the health of the planet and its people, recently released a report using a "Climate Change Governance Framework" to evaluate how 48 U.S. companies and 15 non-U.S. companies are addressing climate change. Using a 100-point scale, the companies were evaluated based on board of directors’ oversight, management execution, public disclosure, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, accounting, and strategic planning and performance. While the median score was 38, Applied earned 67 points.
Noted in the report were Applied Materials’ plans to expand its GHG inventory in 2008 and seek new opportunities for emissions reductions. Also mentioned was the 2007 launch of the Energy and Environmental Solutions group, which is capitalizing on the company’s nano-manufacturing expertise to provide products for use in manufacturing solar photovoltaic cells and modules.
Related Links:
Bright Future
Bright Future Card Game
Environmental Stewardship
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In the News
Through active participation in regions where our employees work and live, Applied Materials demonstrates, and is recognized for, its commitment to social responsibility.
The James C. Morgan Global Humanitarian Award: Professor Muhammad Yunus, pioneer of microcredit and founder of Grameen Bank, was the recipient of the 2008 Global Humanitarian Award. Often referred to as "the world's banker to the poor," Yunus developed a benchmark microcredit application through his Grameen Bank that allows the rural poor access to micro-loans for entrepreneurial enterprises such as purchasing livestock and procuring weaving materials. Yunus and Grameen Bank also were awarded the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize for their significant contributions in the field of microcredit.
The James C. Morgan Global Humanitarian Award, sponsored by Applied Materials and named after its Chairman of the Board of Directors (and soon-to-be Chairman Emeritus), honors individuals whose broad vision and leadership are addressing humanity's greatest challenges. The Award is presented each year at the Tech Awards.
Corporate Leadership Award: The American India Foundation recognized Applied's business and civic leadership in India as well as its commitment to global citizenship and to improving the way people live at an annual gala held in the San Francisco Bay Area in October.
Ending Chronic Homelessness: The Applied Materials Foundation has committed $500,000, over three years, to Destination: Home, an innovative public/private partnership aiming to end chronic homelessness in Santa Clara County, California. The project is based on a national "housing first" model that is revolutionizing how communities solve their chronic homeless problems. Applied is the first company to support the initiative.
DiversityFirst™ Award: The Texas Diversity Council recognized Applied Materials in Austin for its commitment and efforts to create a diverse and inclusive business environment. Highlighted were the site's increased employee engagement and several initiatives taken in the past year to generate awareness and understanding across employee groups.
Related Links:
James C. Morgan Global Humanitiarian Award
Diversity at Applied Materials
Community Commitment
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