The Community is the Network

Corporate Responsibility and Volunteerism at Sun Microsystems, Inc.: A Case Study

"The Network Is The Computer," has propelled Sun Microsystems, Inc. to its position as the world's leading provider of service and support solutions for building and maintaining network computing environments. The company's network computing concept is inherently inclusive in the way it removes boundaries and makes resources available to everyone. Sun had similar goals for its community investment programs when the Sun Microsystems Foundation was established. First, the Foundation identified important connections between education, employment development, and inclusion in an increasingly information-driven world. Then, the staff set out to foster collaboration between business, local government, schools and non profit organisations to bring people and possibilities together.

Donations of cash and Sun product averaging $2 million a year, are awarded to charitable organisations primarily to provide access and equity in the areas of education and employment. Throughout the years, success of these efforts has largely depended upon the time and talent of Sun employees who drive the company's success while also working voluntarily to address critical social and economic community concerns around the world. Our employees are a big part of how we give back to our communities; we invest in what is important to them and create opportunities that support their active engagement. While volunteerism is only one facet of Sun's overall corporate responsibility portfolio, it is at the core of its community investment strategy. Just as Sun boasts its leadership in industry, the company is also proud of its tradition and success in the area of community involvement.

Knowing the corporate culture is an important first step. Since its inception in 1982, Sun has fostered an entrepreneurial and progressive culture, one that gave rise to a concept known as "NetDay". Co-founded in 1996 by Sun's Chief Scientist John Gage, the original goal of Netday was simple: to wire all the schools in the state of California to the Internet. On a single day, 100,000 Californians responded to their schools' requests for help. The Sun Foundation launched its Open Gateways program as a way to address the growing community appeal for help, particularly in disenfranchised communities around the world. The Sun Foundation initiative: Worldwide Volunteer Week appealed to employees to select schools in Sun's neighbouring communities and lead NetDay projects. Small cash grants of $1,000 per school were given as incentives. Partnerships with other high-tech companies and vendors were formed, and teams of Sun employee volunteers worked in collaboration with schools and parents in five continents to bring high-speed connectivity to thousands of needy schools. For schools and Sun, the benefits were enormous. Schools saved on average $70,000 on planning and building the infrastructure that brought information and resources into the classroom hitherto unattainable. Sun was recognised as an important "neighbour of choice".

For Sun employees and schools this was the beginning of a journey that would continue long after NetDay. Schools recognised the significant role that the Internet and network computing would have in the classroom and in the society. And, there was an increased awareness that new technology required a different skill set for IT directors as well as teachers. Sun employees gained valuable insight about the plight of schools, the imbalance of funding, and the capacity of schools to sustain or grow technology resources over time. Employees also enhanced existing skills or gained new proficiencies from project management and communications to systems administration. Employees not only served as ambassadors of good will, they also helped create awareness and demand for a new paradigm in computing.

Recognising that schools need more than mere access to the Internet, the Sun Foundation made donations of Sun network tools, cash grants, and, more importantly, training for network administrators and teachers. Success stories began to emerge with entire school districts and school authorities rewriting their curriculum and technology visions, and investing in teacher training. Teachers became strong advocates for the Sun technology and are called upon to participate in focus groups for product development.

In this past year, Sun's 37,000 employees contributed over 40,000 hours of volunteer time. Education continued to be the number one concern: from building schools in China to establishing literacy projects for adults and helping to bridge the digital divide.

Building on the company vision, the mantra for Sun's volunteer efforts is: "The Community is The Network." Just as the network is infinitely more powerful than any one machine, a culturally and technically diverse network of dedicated volunteers working in partnership with schools can collectively create higher-order thinking, knowledge, and consciousness. The role of the corporation in helping to raise the level of consciousness about community issues can bode well for corporate responsibility programs. Such programmes not only benefit the body politic, but also promote the employer of choice value proposition. Based on numerous research surveys, it matters to employees that they work for companies that give back to the community. And, companies that give employees opportunities to address community concerns enable dialogue among key stakeholders who can contribute to the company's vitality and growth.

For more information:

Sun Microsystems Foundation, Inc.

+1 650 960 1300

www.sun.com/aboutsun/comm_invest/