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In 2009, ITW again supported our core areas of social commitment: the arts and humanities, environment, health, human services, youth and diversity. ITW ’s contributions totaled over $14.1 million in pledges, grants, scholarships and employee matching funds.
From the start, ITW has been a leader in corporate philanthropy and national and local community building. “Giving back” is a value that the Smith family upheld when they founded our company, and it has been embraced by generations of our company leaders. For example, our current CEO, David Speer, will receive a 2010 Humanitarian Award from the new Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center for his support in building the museum in 2009.
It’s clear that social commitment starts at the very top of ITW, but it’s also shared by employees at all levels of our organization. That’s why, in addition to the many direct pledges and grants it provides, the ITW Foundation offers eligible employees and retirees a generous three-for-one matching program to support the charities and initiatives of their choice. The national presence of the ITW Foundation, and thousands of employees at decentralized businesses, means our social commitment has a far-reaching but locally relevant impact.
Human services, education, youth United Way is ITW’s charity of choice, and the Foundation’s contributions help support United Way’s many health, human services and education programs. Our employees participate with annual giving through payroll deductions, as well as volunteering together in “Days of Caring.” Our 2009 United Way campaign raised just over $9 million.
In recognition of increased economic challenges in 2009, the Foundation approved an enhanced match of up to $1.25 for all business units who reached 100% participation or increased participation by ten percent. We had a total of 265 business units who qualified for the enhanced match.
Junior Achievement is another organization ITW has supported for many years. ITW highly values innovation and knows the importance of cultivating leadership to meet the demands of the global economy. Junior Achievement provides extracurricular business education to nurture leadership and the entrepreneurial spirit in young people. ITW employees have been trained to volunteer in schools to deliver the Junior Achievement curriculum. We also organize Bowl-a-Thons that help raise money for the program. In 2009, our Chicago team broke the record by raising over $500,000 in one day.
Other Foundation educational efforts in 2009 include a scholarship program for eligible children of ITW employees and retirees; approximately 350 children received this support. The Foundation also planned a $1 million grant to renovate laboratories at the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Colleges of Liberal Arts and Sciences and Engineering.
Senior Outreach is a key extension of ITW’s commitment to the community. Retired men and women of ITW make up this group and together they work passionately to give back to the community. Their volunteerism includes teaching in Junior Achievement programs; driving cancer patients to their treatments (in partnership with the American Cancer Society); volunteering at a local farm rebuilding tractors; working with a local day care center for disadvantaged children; and fundraising efforts that support American troops overseas.
Other human services
On a global basis, ITW consistently supports the International Red Cross’ humanitarian efforts during natural disasters. In 2009, this aid was critical in helping victims of bushfires in Victoria, Australia—the deadliest wildfires in that nation’s history. ITW’s generous support of the International Red Cross and other organizations will be critical in 2010 to restoring the health and stability of thousands of people injured and displaced by the earthquake in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
Environment
ITW is a long-standing partner to many not-for-profit environmental organizations. Through funding and volunteers, ITW has partnered with Keep America Beautiful, The Ocean Conservancy, Nature Conservancy, Alliance for the Great Lakes, Living Lands and Waters, Friends of the Chicago River and Openlands Project. Our funding within 2008/2009 to these organizations totaled $340,000, and we contributed countless hours of volunteer time to various projects.
Arts and humanities
In 2009, the ITW Foundation continued its long history of supporting the cultural and educational institutions that enrich our lives through the arts and enlighten us about our world. In 2009, ITW renewed its support for the Museum of Science and Industry (see photo), the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Art Institute of Chicago and the Kohl Children’s Museum. Support from the Foundation also played a critical role in the development of the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, which opened its doors in 2009.
As a global company, ITW has a special interest in respecting cultural differences. As we enter new global markets or seek out acquisitions, our employees need to act with cultural savvy and sensitivity. And, we know that an inclusive environment produces the best, most innovative work. Simply put, D&I is a cornerstone of ITW’s business success.
Our goal is to move beyond legal compliance and numeric targets while accommodating our decentralized structure. At the corporate level, we have developed a comprehensive D&I Resource Guide to help each of our business units implement meaningful D&I strategies. We’ve also been actively increasing the number of women and people of color in senior executive positions and on our board of directors. In fact, in 2009, Profiles in Diversity Journal named employee Jane Warner, an ITW Executive Vice President, “A woman worth watching.” James Wooten, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, and a long-time ITW employee, received the 2009 Business Leader of Color Award from Chicago United.
In 2009, ITW planned its first summer internship and scholarship program for science, math and engineering students through the UNCF (formerly the United Negro College Fund)—an organization we have supported since the 1980s. (The program will begin in 2010.) ITW also formed a corporate sponsorship, involving a comprehensive recruitment and scholarship program, with the Society of Women Engineers. We supported other engineering societies as well, earning The National Society of Black Engineers’ 2009 Premier Advertiser Award. ITW was also proud to receive United Way’s 2009 Diversity Award. Finally, ITW sponsored the United Way of Metropolitan Chicago’s Latino Initiative Challenge Grant and gave $200,000 as a matching grant for individual gifts of $1,000 or more.
At Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry, people of all ages learn about the critical role of industry in our society. It’s a place where minds open to the wonders of science, and it’s why ITW has a long history of supporting the museum as well as other local cultural institutions and not-for-profit organizations. In 2009 ITW was part of a fundraising ball that helped fund Black Creativity 2010: Taking Charge of YOU. The exhibit includes interactive features about the health challenges faced by African Americans—a population disproportionately affected by conditions such as asthma, diabetes and obesity. The exhibit runs in conjunction with a juried art exhibition of African-American artwork.
