Community Partnership Day symbolises the company's commitment to improving people's lives and serving our local communities
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In celebration of the 21st annual Community Partnership Day, more than 24,500 Novartis associates across six continents and 52 countries are making a difference in the communities where they live and work. Novartis associates volunteering their time to support social institutions and non-profit organisations represents more than 187,000 hours of combined community service.
"Community Partnership Day demonstrates the massive potential for good that we can achieve on a global scale when we unite to lend a helping hand to people who need our support," said Joe Jimenez, CEO of Novartis.
"Associate volunteering is a key component of our strategic commitment to corporate responsibility, adds Juergen Brokatzky-Geiger, head of corporate responsibility.
"It offers a huge opportunity for our associates to leverage their strengths and skills to deliver on our mission of discovering new ways to improve and extend people's lives."
In Switzerland, more than 3,000 associates are volunteering across 60 communities, with activities ranging from helping people with disabilities, assisting hospitals and schools, to performing landscaping activities and restoring nature habitats.
In the United States, over 4,500 associates are volunteering with elementary schools, libraries, soup kitchens, women's shelters and senior citizen homes, as well as running food and blood drives.
In Asia, more than 5,000 associates are volunteering across a number of countries, including China, India, Indonesia, Vietnam and Singapore, to assist with free health screenings, participate in blood drives and provide services to local hospitals and orphanages.