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Corporate Social Responsibility at Citi

Citi has long been committed to making the communities in which it operates better, and at the same time, setting standards for business practices and corporate values that exceeds industry norms. Citi's legacy of innovation and achievement is nearly 200 years old. The company has succeeded over the years because its leaders and its people take a long-term approach to their business.

One key way in which we engage with the community is through the Citi Foundation. The Citi Foundation is committed to enhancing economic opportunities for individuals and families, particularly those in need, in the communities where we work so that they can improve their standard of living. Globally, the Citi Foundation focuses its strategic giving on the following key areas:

Microfinance and Microentrepreneurship to help people, especially women, improve the lives of their families

Small and Growing Businesses at the next stage of development that create employment and support economic growth

Education with a focus on increasing the supply of high quality basic education in local Citi markets internationally, and in the U.S. increasing young people's access to college

Financial Education and Asset Building to help individuals and families develop the skills and incentives to gain financial stability, grow and preserve financial assets

The Environment with a focus on sustainable enterprises that create jobs and support economic development while preserving the environment

More information can be found on http://www.citigroup.com/citi/foundation/index.htm

 

Citi Romania in the Community

"Citi has a tradition of innovation and success of nearly 200 years. In time, Citi has succeeded because of its leaders, who have consistently defined a long-term vision. Citi has assumed, a long time ago, the commitment to support the communities in which we operate, to promote standards for business practices and to define corporate values that exceed industry's standards. Social responsibility is an extension of what we are", said Shahmir Khaliq, Citibank Europe plc, Dublin- Romania branch Country Officer.

In Romania, Citi has partnered with four community organizations, supporting them both through volunteers and funds. The following paragraphs outline these partnerships.

Junior Achievement Romania: Citi has been supporting the work of JA Romania since 2000. In particular, we help to fund two program: Personal Finance - My money and Budget and Banks in Action.

Personal Finance is a program intended to prepare students aged between 11 and 15 years old for the real world of economics and finance. The program helps students plan their educational paths and their career goals. The students will have the chance to practice the language of finance and economics in everyday life and to learn about, basic finance and economics problems, how to work with banks and loans, about competition, taxes and money, investment and strategies. Through the Citi partnership, 870 students and 22 Citi volunteers have participated throughout the 2007-2008 school year.

Banks in Action (BIA) is a hands-on financial education course that helps raise the understanding of banking. BIA is designed to increase the financial literacy and business management skills of youth in Romania which will equip them with the skills needed to succeed in their personal, professional and business community life. The programme reaches students aged between 16 and 19 years old. Over the 2007-2008 school year, Citi has supported the programme delivery of BIA reaching 2,000 students with the help of 6 Citi volunteers.

Ovidiu Rom Citi has been supporting Ovidiu Rom's initiatives for more than three years. Ovidiu Rom's "Every Child in School" program is conceived as a 15-year project, meant to fight school abandonment and to get every child in Romania in school by 2020. Citi is one of the major sponsors of this initiative, and over the three-year partnership.

United Way Romania. Another significant partner of Citi is United Way Romania. Along the last years, Citi supported United Way's initiatives by enthused employee volunteering - Citi volunteers were involved in selecting and monitoring the projects that receive funding, and have also chosen to make significant individual donations. In 2007, Citi financed "Feed the children" program that was developed between October 2007 and September 2008, 250 families being supported to improve their life.

In 2007, at United Way Gala, Citi received the Bronze partner award for our employee and corporate support to United Way.

Habitat for Humanity. Citi and Habitat for Humanity work together to develop projects that include employee volunteering. Employees get involved in Habitat's main area of work, which is to build homes for people in need.

Employee Engagement

The most visible way, in which our employees make a difference into the community, is through volunteering. In particular, the partnerships that are developed and nurtured through the Citi Foundation are also those, which our employees get involved in. Worldwide, Citi employees spend countless hours in volunteer activities, including teaching financial education courses, mentoring students, and building homes for families.

In Romania, our employees get involved by building houses for Habitat for Humanity, helping in the selection and monitoring process of United Way and organizing events for UW's beneficiaries, and teaching financial education classes to students and personal employee initiatives.

Global Community Day

The concept of GCD was born out of the fact that volunteerism is embedded in our shared responsibilities and Citi employees, around the world, volunteer their time to make communities better every day because they are there. Global Community Day began in 2006, and is celebrated on a single day in November each year.

In 2007, Global Community Day involved over 1000 events, and 60,000 Citi volunteers, their family and friends. Through GCD, Citi was able to reach 830,000 individuals, serve 56,000 meals, donate 6,900 tons of food, plant 15,000 flora, and trained over 9,000 individuals in financial literacy.

In Romania, 60 employees, worked at the Hope for tomorrow Center in Greaca village to provide support to a social center dedicated to abandoned kids aged 2-16.

The event was developed with Saint Stelian Association, in partnership with United Way Romania. Citi volunteers had the opportunity to spend some quality time with the children in the center while planting 133 trees and preparing the kids' playground.

Contact Us

You can send grant proposals, questions and suggestions by email at office.romania@citi.com or at Citibank Europe plc, Dublin- Romania branch, 145 Calea Victoriei, 1st District, Bucharest.