Corning donation helps to improve disaster preparedness in remote villages
CHENGDU, China, Sept. 27, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- Corning China (Shanghai) Regional Headquarter (NYSE: GLW) today signed a memorandum of understanding with Mercy Corps to donate RMB250,000 to the Disaster Reduction Program at the Chengdu CCS Optical Fiber Cable Co., Ltd. manufacturing facility.
Corning’s donation will help remote villages in Sichuan province cope with natural disasters and also promote economic development through cooperation with local governments and non-governmental organizations.
Initiated by Mercy Corps, a global organization experienced in disaster mitigation and prevention and emergency relief, the Disaster Reduction Program (DRP) has attracted investment from the European Union and is now calling for partnership with private enterprises.
Corning is the first US company in China to participate in this program. The DRP program will directly benefit 22,000 people in 20 impoverished and disaster-stricken villages in Sichuan and Yunnan provinces. Corning's donation will be used in Sichuan villages to better prepare and deal with disasters by improving the infrastructure and emergency response.
Eric Musser, chief executive officer of Corning Greater China, attended the signing ceremony along with leaders from the local community and media representatives.
"Corporate social responsibility is intrinsic to Corning’s heritage. It demonstrates how we live our values." Musser said. "Natural disasters have had a terrible impact on China and on millions of its people, especially in Sichuan province where over 69,000 people lost their lives during the 2008 earthquake. Helping the community in Sichuan recover from the natural disaster is part of our long-term commitment."
Alan Dowdell, president of Corning China Telecommunications said: "Disaster relief and education have been Corning’s CSR focus. The company and its employees have been assisting the people in disaster stricken areas in many ways. We hope that the DRP program will directly improve the disaster preparedness in remote villages in Sichuan province through cooperation with Mercy Corps."
About Corning Incorporated
Corning Incorporated (www.corning.com) is the world leader in specialty glass and ceramics. Drawing on 160 years of materials science and process engineering knowledge, Corning creates and makes keystone components that enable high-technology systems for consumer electronics, mobile emissions control, telecommunications and life sciences. Our products include glass substrates for LCD televisions, computer monitors and laptops; ceramic substrates and filters for mobile emission control systems; optical fiber, cable, hardware & equipment for telecommunications networks; optical biosensors for drug discovery; and other advanced optics and specialty glass solutions for a number of industries including semiconductor, aerospace, defense, astronomy and metrology.
About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps (www.mercycorps.org) is an international relief and development agency that serves in those areas heavily afflicted with disasters, wars, persistent poverty and instability and creates sustainable changes by unleashing the undeveloped potential of the people. Since establishment in 1979, Mercy Corps has provided USD 1.95 billion aids for 114 countries. Under supports of the two headquarters in North America and Europe, its 3,700 employees around the globe have renders services for over 19 million people in 41 countries. In the past 5 years, Mercy Corps used 88% of its funds directly in programs providing aids for the people in urgent need of help. The mission of Mercy Corps is to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression by helping people build secure, productive and just communities.
