United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX) was recently recognized as one of the ‘Top Community Care Companies in Asia’ at the Asia Corporate Excellence & Sustainability Awards (ACES) 2017. The honor comes in recognition of Green Shoots, a youth-focused community outreach program, led by UTC Climate, Controls & Security, a unit of United Technologies. Green Shoots aims to enhance students’ experience and education by improving school infrastructure and encouraging young minds to think about sustainability at an early age.
ACES recognizes successful companies and individuals in two categories: leadership and corporate responsibility. After rigorous evaluation by a panel of judges, the Green Shoots program stood out for advocating sustainability as an act of caring, standing out among more than 180 nominations across Asia. Initiated by MORS Group, the mission of ACES is to provide a platform for companies, leaders and industrialists to exhibit leadership and sustainability excellence, and to learn from experts around the world.
"We are proud to receive this prestigious award for a program that is creating a positive impact across the communities we operate in and in helping to nurture a passion for sustainability in the next generation,” said Gaurang Pandya, president, UTC Climate, Controls & Security, Asia Pacific. “Green Shoots is a perfect example of how the company walks the talk on corporate responsibility, by encouraging our employees to bring their expertise, creativity and enthusiasm to share our learnings on sustainability and revamping school facilities for our future thinkers, leaders and citizens.”
Green Shoots in Action in Shanghai
The award-winning Green Shoots program recently brought together more than 200 students at the Hongmei No. 2 Primary School in the Minhang District of Shanghai, China, and nearly 80 employee volunteers from UTC Climate, Controls & Security’s Asia Pacific and China teams, who helped to enhance the educational infrastructure by decorating walls with posters and offering interactive lectures on science and the environment.
George Li, vice president, UTC Climate, Control & Security, China, said, “At United Technologies, we believe we can balance business development and community commitment. It is a shared responsibility between schools and businesses to support children’s development by improving the educational infrastructure and sparking their interest in learning and innovation.”
Junfei Yu, principal of Hongmei No. 2 Primary School, gave high praise for this program, saying, “The smiles and laughter we’ve seen from students prove how well the Green Shoots program is received. We are deeply impressed by the commitment of United Technologies and all the volunteering employees, which reminds our teachers to continuously pass on care and hope to the students.”
Green Shoots Growing in Asian Communities
Launched in 2011, the Green Shoots program brings together UTC employees as volunteers to support primary education in Asia. The program has helped to enhance the educational environment of students by improving school infrastructure, with the goal of raising student awareness of environmental stewardship and safety. The program has benefitted more than 40,200 children in primary schools throughout Asia including in China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
For more information about sustainability initiatives at United Technologies, visit www.NaturalLeader.com.
About United Technologies
United Technologies Corp., based in Farmington, Connecticut, provides high-technology systems and services to the building and aerospace industries worldwide. By combining a passion for science with precision engineering, the company is creating smart, sustainable solutions the world needs. To learn more about UTC, visit the website at www.utc.com or follow the company on Twitter: @UTC.