.
Egypt and the United States have long enjoyed a mutually advantageous economic relationship that is valued by businesses, governments and the people of both nations. At the core of this vital relationship are American companies, which have for decades appreciated the opportunities provided by the Egyptian marketplace. Many prominent American businesses have significant and longstanding investments in Egypt and collaborated with their Egyptian partners to foster a more vibrant business environment. This commitment to Egypt has not waned during the political transitions of recent years.
Beyond the major contributions to Egypt’s economy through jobs, investments, and knowledge transfer, American companies doing business in Egypt are making substantial impacts in the local communities where they operate through a variety of corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs and projects. For many U.S. companies, being ‘good corporate citizens’ is far more than just a gratifying slogan; it is an intrinsic part of their business model and operations.
In Egypt, American companies are committed to addressing health, social, environmental and economic challenges as they strive to adapt to the evolving needs of society. Making a difference by changing people’s lives, providing them with hope and opportunity, and a better way of life is a priority for U.S. businesses in Egypt.
At an event in Cairo highlighting CSR work by U.S. companies held on the sidelines of the U.S. Chamber’s business mission last November, Ambassador David Thorne, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of State, emphasized, “American companies represent the United States when they invest around the world. Our companies, large and small, with their constant presence in hundreds of countries worldwide, often act as interpreters, promoters, as ambassadors for what is best about America. American companies should not just offer the best energy solutions, the highest quality pharmaceuticals, or the most sought after consumer products. They should also be the best employers, the best neighbors, and the best partners. The United States government supports efforts to undertake sound corporate social responsibility policies and practices because we firmly believe that good corporate citizenship is good business for you, good for local communities, and good for America.”
The Apache Corporation, the largest U.S. investor in Egypt having been active in the market since 1994, exemplifies the responsible partner spirit. While Apache has made considerable achievements in the exploration and development of energy resources in Egypt’s Western Desert, it is their CSR work that has come to define their bond with Egypt.
From helping Egypt’s orphans and supporting a major energy conservation initiative to sponsoring the Breast Cancer Foundation to raise awareness, promote education and provide services to Egyptian women, the Apache Corporation is active on a number of fronts. But it is Apache’s leadership in education opportunities for girls that is having the broadest impact. The Springboard ‘One-Room Schools for Egypt's Girls’ project was launched in 2004 by Apache to provide educational opportunities to underserved populations as the essential first step up the social and economic ladder.
The initial goal was to build 201 schools that would provide new windows of opportunities for the girls of the Giza, Fayoum and Minya governorates. Construction of the 201 schools for girls, which were designed to be durable and require minimal maintenance costs, was completed in 2007. An additional six co-educational schools have been built for Bedouins in the Matrouh area. Apache now maintains 50-60 schools annually.
The results are impressive, especially when you appreciate that each figure represents an actual young Egyptian girl who likely would have never received the sustained education they are receiving through Springboard. More than 10,000 girls have learned to read and write; more than 4,000 girls have finished elementary school; and, approximately 2,300 girls are registered for middle school.
The Apache Corporation was named a global finalist for the U.S. Secretary of State’s 2013 Award for Corporate Excellence for its “exemplary corporate citizenship, innovation and distinguished contributions to the overall growth and sustainable development of the local economy in Egypt.”
The Coca-Cola Company is another example of a multinational company having a major local impact in Egypt. Having entered the Egyptian market in 1942, Coca-Cola today employs around 12,500 Egyptians and, over the past years, has invested heavily to build several bottling factories and a distribution system.
Besides investing in products and factories, Coca-Cola’s contributions expand to the communities where it operates through advancing several initiatives and projects dedicated raising the standard of living and making real tangible changes in local Egyptian communities. Over the past several years, Coca-Cola has invested primarily in the fields of education, healthcare and the environment. For example, in 2010, Coca-Cola started partnering with NGOs such as The Egyptian Food Bank, CARE, and other organizations in the ‘100 Villages Project.’ The project aims to fully develop some of the poorest villages in Egypt with the goal of improving ten villages every year until the year 2020.
The development of villages is based on four main pillars: education, healthcare, water and microbusiness. Schools and medical clinics are being updated and furnished in cooperation with local administrators and partners. Some of the poorest villages in Egypt now have access to clean drinking water. And women are being empowered to contribute to their families as breadwinners through small loans to expand existing businesses and training in critical skills such as inventory management and financial literacy to help make them employable in the Egyptian labor market.
By the end of 2015, this Coca-Cola driven collaboration will have completed the development of 40 villages in 10 different governorates across Egypt. Confirming the importance of the sustainability programs to Coca-Cola, Curt Ferguson, President, Middle East and North Africa said, “Our sustainability initiatives demonstrate Coca-Cola’s commitment towards the communities where we operate – for our business to be strong, our communities must be strong. At Coca-Cola in Egypt, we focus on developing women and youth through entrepreneurship programs and the region-wide Coca-Cola MENA scholarships which all began in Egypt.”
For Johnson & Johnson, their CSR projects closely align with their mission to help people live longer, healthier and happier lives. In November 2014, Johnson & Johnson launched a global partnership with Save the Children intended to help millions of children over a three year period. The $10 million commitment was announced in New York City with Alex Gorsky, Chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson, asserting, “We hope that this partnership will inspire innovation to improve the survival and healthy development of children under age 5, especially newborns.”
Johnson & Johnson’s collaboration with Save the Children reached Egypt in May of 2015 where a campaign aiming to aiming to help thousands of children over the next three years was announced. The purpose of the project is “to ensure that infants and young children in the poorest areas in Egypt receive enough care to ensure their survival and good health.” Women and children in Manshiyat Naser in Cairo and Sedfa in Assiut are the initial beneficiaries of the effort.
Another well-known U.S. company focused on giving back and investing in the Egyptian community is PepsiCo, which has operated in Egypt for more than 50 years and has more than 20,000 Egyptian employees. In Egypt, PepsiCo is engaged in several community projects in partnership with various local organizations and government entities including the Ministries of Education, Health, and Youth, as well as municipal agencies. These efforts span across numerous key development areas including education, fighting hunger and malnutrition and supporting local farmers through opportunities to generate income while developing their technical capabilities.
It is PepsiCo’s Liter of Light project that is generating lots electricity as it helps to literally light up once dark villages in Egypt. The initiative is an eco-friendly project that focuses on sustaining the environment while helping impoverished villages in Upper Egyptian governorates by using recycled empty plastic Pepsi bottles filled with a solution of water and chlorine and fitted with an internal solar battery to be charged by sunlight. The initiative aims to narrow the gap between electricity production capacity and demand and ultimately deliver the gift of light to Egyptians who need it most.
Liter of Light was first launched in Egypt in 2014 in two villages in Sohag and has been introduced this year in three villages in the Assiut governorate. The project has changed the reality of evenings for affected Egyptians: streets are safer, children can do their homework, mothers can cook, and families can enjoy their time together.
The corporate social responsibility projects being implemented by these companies and dozens of others illustrate the commitment American businesses have to the Egyptian people and their devotion to a better future for Egypt. They may be large, multinational corporations headquartered in cities thousands of miles away, but their work and actions are that of native-like businesses that care deeply about the communities they operate in and the people around them. They have demonstrated a faithfulness to Egypt that is changing communities and improving peoples’ lives for generations to come all the while strengthening the strategic U.S.-Egypt relationship.
Steve Lutes is executive director of the U.S.-Egypt Business Council, the only American organization exclusively focused on advancing the bilateral economic relationship between the United States and Egypt.
The views presented in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the views of any other organization.
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Global Companies Impacting Local Communities in Egypt
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September 14, 2015
Egypt and the United States have long enjoyed a mutually advantageous economic relationship that is valued by businesses, governments and the people of both nations. At the core of this vital relationship are American companies, which have for decades appreciated the opportunities provided by the Egyptian marketplace. Many prominent American businesses have significant and longstanding investments in Egypt and collaborated with their Egyptian partners to foster a more vibrant business environment. This commitment to Egypt has not waned during the political transitions of recent years.
Beyond the major contributions to Egypt’s economy through jobs, investments, and knowledge transfer, American companies doing business in Egypt are making substantial impacts in the local communities where they operate through a variety of corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs and projects. For many U.S. companies, being ‘good corporate citizens’ is far more than just a gratifying slogan; it is an intrinsic part of their business model and operations.
In Egypt, American companies are committed to addressing health, social, environmental and economic challenges as they strive to adapt to the evolving needs of society. Making a difference by changing people’s lives, providing them with hope and opportunity, and a better way of life is a priority for U.S. businesses in Egypt.
At an event in Cairo highlighting CSR work by U.S. companies held on the sidelines of the U.S. Chamber’s business mission last November, Ambassador David Thorne, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of State, emphasized, “American companies represent the United States when they invest around the world. Our companies, large and small, with their constant presence in hundreds of countries worldwide, often act as interpreters, promoters, as ambassadors for what is best about America. American companies should not just offer the best energy solutions, the highest quality pharmaceuticals, or the most sought after consumer products. They should also be the best employers, the best neighbors, and the best partners. The United States government supports efforts to undertake sound corporate social responsibility policies and practices because we firmly believe that good corporate citizenship is good business for you, good for local communities, and good for America.”
The Apache Corporation, the largest U.S. investor in Egypt having been active in the market since 1994, exemplifies the responsible partner spirit. While Apache has made considerable achievements in the exploration and development of energy resources in Egypt’s Western Desert, it is their CSR work that has come to define their bond with Egypt.
From helping Egypt’s orphans and supporting a major energy conservation initiative to sponsoring the Breast Cancer Foundation to raise awareness, promote education and provide services to Egyptian women, the Apache Corporation is active on a number of fronts. But it is Apache’s leadership in education opportunities for girls that is having the broadest impact. The Springboard ‘One-Room Schools for Egypt's Girls’ project was launched in 2004 by Apache to provide educational opportunities to underserved populations as the essential first step up the social and economic ladder.
The initial goal was to build 201 schools that would provide new windows of opportunities for the girls of the Giza, Fayoum and Minya governorates. Construction of the 201 schools for girls, which were designed to be durable and require minimal maintenance costs, was completed in 2007. An additional six co-educational schools have been built for Bedouins in the Matrouh area. Apache now maintains 50-60 schools annually.
The results are impressive, especially when you appreciate that each figure represents an actual young Egyptian girl who likely would have never received the sustained education they are receiving through Springboard. More than 10,000 girls have learned to read and write; more than 4,000 girls have finished elementary school; and, approximately 2,300 girls are registered for middle school.
The Apache Corporation was named a global finalist for the U.S. Secretary of State’s 2013 Award for Corporate Excellence for its “exemplary corporate citizenship, innovation and distinguished contributions to the overall growth and sustainable development of the local economy in Egypt.”
The Coca-Cola Company is another example of a multinational company having a major local impact in Egypt. Having entered the Egyptian market in 1942, Coca-Cola today employs around 12,500 Egyptians and, over the past years, has invested heavily to build several bottling factories and a distribution system.
Besides investing in products and factories, Coca-Cola’s contributions expand to the communities where it operates through advancing several initiatives and projects dedicated raising the standard of living and making real tangible changes in local Egyptian communities. Over the past several years, Coca-Cola has invested primarily in the fields of education, healthcare and the environment. For example, in 2010, Coca-Cola started partnering with NGOs such as The Egyptian Food Bank, CARE, and other organizations in the ‘100 Villages Project.’ The project aims to fully develop some of the poorest villages in Egypt with the goal of improving ten villages every year until the year 2020.
The development of villages is based on four main pillars: education, healthcare, water and microbusiness. Schools and medical clinics are being updated and furnished in cooperation with local administrators and partners. Some of the poorest villages in Egypt now have access to clean drinking water. And women are being empowered to contribute to their families as breadwinners through small loans to expand existing businesses and training in critical skills such as inventory management and financial literacy to help make them employable in the Egyptian labor market.
By the end of 2015, this Coca-Cola driven collaboration will have completed the development of 40 villages in 10 different governorates across Egypt. Confirming the importance of the sustainability programs to Coca-Cola, Curt Ferguson, President, Middle East and North Africa said, “Our sustainability initiatives demonstrate Coca-Cola’s commitment towards the communities where we operate – for our business to be strong, our communities must be strong. At Coca-Cola in Egypt, we focus on developing women and youth through entrepreneurship programs and the region-wide Coca-Cola MENA scholarships which all began in Egypt.”
For Johnson & Johnson, their CSR projects closely align with their mission to help people live longer, healthier and happier lives. In November 2014, Johnson & Johnson launched a global partnership with Save the Children intended to help millions of children over a three year period. The $10 million commitment was announced in New York City with Alex Gorsky, Chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson, asserting, “We hope that this partnership will inspire innovation to improve the survival and healthy development of children under age 5, especially newborns.”
Johnson & Johnson’s collaboration with Save the Children reached Egypt in May of 2015 where a campaign aiming to aiming to help thousands of children over the next three years was announced. The purpose of the project is “to ensure that infants and young children in the poorest areas in Egypt receive enough care to ensure their survival and good health.” Women and children in Manshiyat Naser in Cairo and Sedfa in Assiut are the initial beneficiaries of the effort.
Another well-known U.S. company focused on giving back and investing in the Egyptian community is PepsiCo, which has operated in Egypt for more than 50 years and has more than 20,000 Egyptian employees. In Egypt, PepsiCo is engaged in several community projects in partnership with various local organizations and government entities including the Ministries of Education, Health, and Youth, as well as municipal agencies. These efforts span across numerous key development areas including education, fighting hunger and malnutrition and supporting local farmers through opportunities to generate income while developing their technical capabilities.
It is PepsiCo’s Liter of Light project that is generating lots electricity as it helps to literally light up once dark villages in Egypt. The initiative is an eco-friendly project that focuses on sustaining the environment while helping impoverished villages in Upper Egyptian governorates by using recycled empty plastic Pepsi bottles filled with a solution of water and chlorine and fitted with an internal solar battery to be charged by sunlight. The initiative aims to narrow the gap between electricity production capacity and demand and ultimately deliver the gift of light to Egyptians who need it most.
Liter of Light was first launched in Egypt in 2014 in two villages in Sohag and has been introduced this year in three villages in the Assiut governorate. The project has changed the reality of evenings for affected Egyptians: streets are safer, children can do their homework, mothers can cook, and families can enjoy their time together.
The corporate social responsibility projects being implemented by these companies and dozens of others illustrate the commitment American businesses have to the Egyptian people and their devotion to a better future for Egypt. They may be large, multinational corporations headquartered in cities thousands of miles away, but their work and actions are that of native-like businesses that care deeply about the communities they operate in and the people around them. They have demonstrated a faithfulness to Egypt that is changing communities and improving peoples’ lives for generations to come all the while strengthening the strategic U.S.-Egypt relationship.
Steve Lutes is executive director of the U.S.-Egypt Business Council, the only American organization exclusively focused on advancing the bilateral economic relationship between the United States and Egypt.
The views presented in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the views of any other organization.
