Mumbai:  Over a thousand Citi India employees joined over 40,000 volunteers on Saturday, October 23, 2010 in more than 75 countries across the world on the company’s fifth “Global Community Day”. Citi India engaged with leading NGOs like Akanksha Foundation, Anand Niketan, Habitat for Humanity, Help Age, to name a few; with employees participating in multiple community programs that addressed specific needs including housing, literacy, senior citizen support, child education and recreation amongst others. Employee groups, accompanied by their families and friends, dedicated their time, passion and skills to make a meaningful difference to each of the local communities. Programs were jointly conceptualized for day-long volunteering activities in each of the NGO locations.

On the occasion, Pramit Jhaveri CEO, Citi India said, “I am extremely happy to see tremendous franchise wide involvement of employees in this initiative, one that is truly reflective of our ‘One Citi’ culture. Volunteerism is a key aspect of our Citizenship program globally and in India. Global Community Day has created a unique global platform for all of us to volunteer and has created a bond between employees and their NGO/cause, enabling them to consistently contribute towards positively impacting our societies.”

Being a country that has an eclectic population, a landscape that stretches across large distances, 35 events in 26 locations, posed some immense logistical challenges. However, due to the support and commitment of Citi employees across the country, the events were executed flawlessly. Additionally, the local Citi team leader played a critical role in ensuring that the events were accomplished smoothly. Each volunteer team, a mix of employees drawn from different Citi businesses across diverse hierarchies and age groups, achieved a clearly defined set of tasks assigned to it, such as conducting sessions on financial literacy, initiating construction of houses for underprivileged communities, senior citizen support, garden landscaping amongst others. The response from employees and team leaders were overwhelming, making the events enriching and fun.

Some of the leading national NGO’s that partnered with Citi across multiple cities are Akanksha Foundation, HelpAge India, Habitat for Humanity, Concern India Foundation and Pratham. Some of the key cities covered include Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Chandigargh, Ludhiana, Bhubaneshwar, Lucknow, Indore, Nashik, Pune, Kochi and Jaipur amongst others.

“Thanks to the tens of thousands of Citi employees that participate each year, Citi’s Global Community Day has become a company tradition,” said Pam Flaherty, President and Chief Executive Officer, Citi Foundation and Director, Corporate Citizenship. “Whether it’s building a local community farm or teaching basic financial skills to disadvantaged families, Citi employees worked collectively to strengthen the communities where we do business, a key component of our commitment to responsible finance.”

Highlights of Citi’s volunteer projects from around the world include:

– In Asia Pacific, Around China, volunteers have organized a number of community walks and a Citi Tower building climb in Shanghai through which 870 Citi volunteers will raise funds for the Million Tree Project, an initiative by the NGO Roots and Shoots that is helping offset carbon emissions and combat climate change. 1,000 volunteers will help the Red Cross replenish much-needed blood supplies in Indonesia. 3,500 volunteers will participate in a Walk for Rice to feed needy families in Singapore. In the Philippines, over 1,000 volunteers will help paint homes and build a community farm with long-term community partner Gawad Kalinga.

– Across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, volunteers will be building and restoring homes of underprivileged families in places like Lebanon and South Africa. Volunteers in Pakistan will continue to provide disaster relief as well as introduce children to basic concepts of financial literacy. In the Czech Republic, volunteers will host a Junior Achievement seminar on the basics of banking for high-school students. In Zambia, Citi volunteers will partner with World Vision to provide children in need with food and educational materials. Volunteers in Russia will focus on green initiatives, including planting trees, building benches and cleaning parks.

– In Latin America, thousands of volunteers will participate in the restoration of public schools and playgrounds in Brazil and El Salvador. 200 volunteers will build houses for low income families in Peru. In Columbia, volunteers will participate in a range of activities helping seriously ill children. Throughout Mexico, in more than 50 cities, Banamex employees have organized a national campaign to collect plastic bottles for recycling and other ecological activities, mainly at city parks.

– In the United States, Citi has partnered with the HandsOn Network as the national sponsor of Make A Difference Day across the country. In New York, CEO Vikram Pandit will launch a new skill-based volunteer initiative that will partner Citibank employees with the NYC Small Business Solutions Center aimed at strengthening the capacity of small business owners. Employees in Illinois and Texas will participate in neighborhood revitalization efforts, building affordable homes with Habitat for Humanity for low income families, providing financial education to elementary school students with Junior Achievement and assisting in food bank projects. California employees will sort holiday donations and package food for low income seniors. Nearly 1,400 volunteers will participate in 64 events across the state of Florida that include building homes for families in need, teaching basic business skills to middle school students and scrubbing employee-donated cell phones to be used by survivors of domestic violence. Through a nationwide initiative in 15 cities, including Delaware, Massachusetts and Ohio, Citi volunteers will partner with local veterans organizations. These events are part of a larger Citi led Veterans Service Initiative aimed at providing mentoring to Veterans who are making the transition from active duty to the workforce.