Selected projects 2019
Our regional teams are committed to promoting future skills, financial inclusion and financial education. Through these efforts, combined with employee engagement, we make a positive contribution towards overcoming challenges in the communities where we live and work.
Capacity building for our non-profit partners in Asia Pacific
Launched in 2016 in partnership with Empact, the Pro Bono School runs a series of workshops for social sector leaders to enhance their skills with the help of corporate volunteers. In 2018, we sponsored four workshops involving 25 social organizations in Singapore. More than 50 Credit Suisse employees supported the workshops as facilitators and co-trainers. Following the success of this program, we extended its reach by launching it in Hong Kong in 2019. Over 20 social organizations participated in three workshops focusing on budgeting, donor tracking and financial processes, supported by over 40 volunteers from our Singapore and Hong Kong offices.
Credit Suisse Americas Foundation commits to youth apprenticeship model
In July 2019, the Credit Suisse Americas Foundation announced a USD 1 million, three-year commitment to HERE to HERE, a non-profit based in The Bronx, New York City. The partnership supports CareerWise New York (CWNY), an employer-led, student-focused youth apprenticeship system based on a model widely used in Switzerland. Specifically, the donation helps cover CWNY’s operations during the first three years and is complemented by the participation of Credit Suisse HR experts on the HERE to HERE Business Council. The contribution is part of the bank’s Future Skills initiative, which enables young people, regardless of their socio-economic backgrounds, to access the skills and education they need to gain meaningful employment and fulfill their potential.
Leveraging partnerships in the UK
In the UK, the Credit Suisse EMEA Foundation acts as the Pioneer Growth Partner to City Year UK (CYUK). The Foundation’s grant supports teams of volunteers who serve as mentors, role models and near-peer tutors to pupils from disadvantaged communities, in schools in the West Midlands region, Manchester and London. Its aim is to improve the attendance, behavior and academic attainment of children in CYUK partner schools and to enhance the skills and employability of these volunteers. The Foundation’s grant supported the recruitment of 154 young mentors throughout the 2018/2019 academic year to serve across 21 schools. In 2019, CYUK delivered a six-day Basic Training Academy program for volunteers to prepare them for their time in school. Additional shorter Basic Training Academies took place to prepare new starters for their deployment in schools. At the end of the program, almost 100% of volunteers said the experience had helped them to build skills that they can apply professionally. The partnership with CYUK has been supported through a number of employee engagements and programs, such as Virtual Volunteering or GCP assignments, as well as through the Art Education program in collaboration with the National Gallery. In recognition of its success, the partnership was nominated for the Lord Mayor’s Dragon Award.
Improving access to training and employment for young people in Switzerland
Our Corporate Citizenship activities in Switzerland have long focused on workforce readiness – a basic skill to ensure young people are prepared to enter the world of work. For example, the umbrella organization Check Your Chance – which Credit Suisse has supported since 2010 – and its member organizations have so far helped close to 25,000 young people in the transition from school to the workplace. Our employees have also been sharing their expertise and experience with pupils and young students in their role as volunteers through programs such as the Pro Juventute job interview training and mentoring programs in conjunction with the University of St. Gallen and Job Caddie. In 2019, more than 300 Credit Suisse employees volunteered 5,000 hours of their time for the benefit of 2,300 pupils and young students in future skills-focused programs. We also introduced the Credit Suisse Red Cross Youth Award in 2019 to incentivize and recognize the efforts of youth organizations of the Swiss Red Cross (SRC) in developing innovative projects with a sustainable impact. We will continue to expand our work with the SRC’s Young Leaders Forum to encourage youth participation and engagement, to support Pro Juventute in building capacity and programs in the field of future skills, and to expand our partnership with ESST through its new organization wirtschaftsbildung.ch. In addition, the Credit Suisse Foundation’s portfolio in Switzerland has been adapted and refocused on financial education and future skills.
More examples
For a list of additional regional projects in 2019, see:
credit-suisse.com/responsibility/projects