Rosana Arcos Galvão | Secretary, Sao Paulo, Brazil
The remarkable community spirit of our sales office in Sao Paulo, Brazil, is proof that even the smallest of sites - there are only about 20 people on staff - can make a big difference in people's lives.
It started in 2006, when the site established a program, called NXPeople, dedicated to improving the quality of life for employees, their families, and for some of the neediest members of the community.
“I've always wanted to help people,” says Rosana, who is one of the driving forces behind the NXPeople program. “I've worked in small offices before, but it wasn't until I joined NXP that I found a company that had social responsibility built into its culture.”
The site has made donations to a number of charities. They've given used office paper to an organization that uses it to make handicrafts, and have donated supplies to a nearby school. When they had old office furniture to dispose of, they gave employees the option of purchasing the items, and then used the proceeds to buy new winter clothes for the kids at a local children's home.
In general, most of their charitable activities focus on helping children in need. “Brazil is still a developing country,” explains Rosana. “We have lots of children that need help. They're homeless, orphaned, or abused, and it's very hard for them. If we don't help them now, while they're young, they may not have a future.”
The site has donated computer equipment to a local daycare for use in computer classes, and, over the 2008 Christmas holidays, sponsored more than 25 children to receive “survival kits” that included toys and candy along with various essentials, such as clothing and toiletries. Says Rosana, “The 2008 campaign was a big success. Everyone got involved, even family members at home.”
Thus far, Rosana estimates that they've had a direct impact on the lives of more than 200 children. “We all enjoy it,” she says, “but it's challenging, because there are so many needs. Each time we make a donation, we see that there is more we can do.”
To maintain their own enthusiasm, the team plans a variety of fun monthly events, based on employee suggestions and a group vote. They've had special holiday luncheons, marked International Women's Day with small gifts for every female employee, and have brought their children to the office for a dedicated Kids Day. They celebrate birthdays, have movie sessions, and even plan to publish a cookbook of employee recipes. “We know that happy people are more productive,” Rosana says, “so we work to have a little fun, too.”