Corporate Philanthropy
Made to help
How PPG Industries gives back to the Barberton area
Smart Business Akron/Canton | December 2008
It’s one thing to talk the talk, but it’s awhole other thing to walk the walk. PPG Industries Inc. is succeeding in both thoseareas at its Barberton plant.
The manufacturing company wants toempower employees and encourage participation and involvement in communityservices, and it backs up that idea by volunteering in the community and financiallysupporting employee involvement.
In recognition of active employees’ andretirees’ personal involvement within thecommunity on their own time, PPGestablished the Grant Incentives forVolunteerism by PPG Employees (GIVE).Grants of $500 per individual per year maybe awarded to each organization or institution up to a maximum of 10 grants per institution in one calendar year.
The company also wants to help grow theleaders of tomorrow through numerousemployee efforts.
One example is the facility’s involvement inWomen in Engineering programs, such as“Multiplying Your Options” engineering summer camp for girls at the University of Akron.The program is geared toward girls who havean interest in science, math, engineering andtechnology. In June 2008, the Barbertonplant, run by Plant Manager Richard Bauer,sponsored two weeks of camp, one for girlswithin the community entering seventh oreighth grade and the other camp for those inhigh school.
PPG also lends a hand to the communityvia corporate financial contributions. PPGIndustries Foundation pledged $15,000 forthe new Lake Anna YMCA CommunityCenter in Barberton. After the centeropened, the residents of Barberton andneighboring communities now had recreation opportunities as well as wellness initiatives, senior activities and other programs.
The company also puts a focus on education through its foundation by offering aNational Merit Scholarship Employee-ChildScholarship Program and a Barberton/NortonCommunity Scholarship that provides qualifying students with a stipend of $1,500 peryear for up to four years of undergraduate study.
In addition, through the foundation, thecompany supplied a $10,000 grant to supply Barberton and Norton area schoolswith Environmental Connections: ATeacher’s Guide to EnvironmentalStudies, Second Edition.
Through its volunteer and financialcommitments, PPG is doing its best tohelp the community, and it continues todemonstrate its superior corporate commitment to enhancing the quality of life incommunities where the company has apresence.
HOW TO REACH: PPG Industries Inc., www.ppg.com or (330)825-3680
