Xylem Employees Volunteer More Than 35,800 Hours in 2017

Feb 7, 2018 12:00 PM ET

RYE BROOK, N.Y., February 7, 2018 /3BL Media/ – Employees from Xylem (NYSE:XYL), a leading global water technology company that is dedicated to solving the world’s most challenging water issues, logged more than 35,800 volunteer hours in 2017, participating in activities aimed at providing and protecting safe water resources in communities and educating people about water issues. Xylem Watermark, the company’s corporate citizenship platform, launched a service-focused employee engagement program in 2016 in support of this mission with a goal of logging 100,000 volunteer hours by the end of 2018. This year’s achievement brings the total number of volunteer hours to nearly 57,000, more than halfway to that goal. This program is an integral part of realizing Xylem’s vision: a world where water issues are no longer a barrier to human health, prosperity and sustainable development.

“The spirit of service continues to drive and inspire Xylem colleagues to make a difference,” said Joseph Vesey, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. “By engaging in water issues globally and locally, the Xylem Watermark program provides an opportunity for our colleagues to connect with and contribute to the communities where we work and live.”

Over the past year, more than 4,000 volunteers in 38 countries participated in over 430 events, working with local nonprofit organizations committed to water-related issues in their communities. Activities included cleaning and restoring local waterways, planting vegetation to protect shorelines from erosion and salinization, and pledging to conserve water for 30 days.

In 2017, the Watermark program invested more than $2.9 million through corporate grants and employee contributions (including corporate matching) to the company’s global nonprofit partners in support of Watermark’s mission. Those partners – Planet Water Foundation, Mercy Corps, EarthEcho, Water For People, Chinese Women’s Development Fund, and Fundación Avina – have all been critical to the impact made by Xylem volunteers and Xylem Watermark.

Xylem also responded to Hurricanes Harvey and Irma and flooding in South Asia by pledging $1 million in financial and volunteer contributions and another $500,000 toward relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Maria. Xylem Watermark double matched all employee contributions to Mercy Corps, Planet Water and the Red Cross toward hurricane relief efforts. In addition to these contributions, Xylem sent 100 volunteers to work with Habitat For Humanity Houston to help rebuild houses following Hurricane Harvey. Xylem volunteers also helped to construct 10 Planet Water Aqua Towers in remote areas of Puerto Rico following Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

In June 2017, Engage for Good honored the Xylem Watermark program with the Gold Halo Award in the Employee Engagement category. The Halo Awards are North America’s highest honor for corporate social initiatives and cause marketing. The award recognizes social good campaigns and initiatives targeted at employees and/or consumers involving a company and a cause.

About Xylem

Xylem (XYL) is a leading global water technology company committed to developing innovative technology solutions to the world’s water challenges. The Company’s products and services move, treat, analyze, monitor and return water to the environment in public utility, industrial, residential and commercial building services settings. Xylem also provides a leading portfolio of smart metering, network technologies and advanced infrastructure analytics solutions for water, electric and gas utilities. The Company’s more than 16,000 employees bring broad applications expertise with a strong focus on identifying comprehensive, sustainable solutions.  Headquartered in Rye Brook, New York with 2017 revenue of $4.7 billion, Xylem does business in more than 150 countries through a number of market-leading product brands. 

The name Xylem is derived from classical Greek and is the tissue that transports water in plants, highlighting the engineering efficiency of our water-centric business by linking it with the best water transportation of all – that which occurs in nature. For more information, please visit us at www.xylem.com.

About Xylem Watermark

Xylem Watermark, Xylem’s corporate citizenship program, provides and protects safe water resources for many of the world’s most vulnerable communities and educates individuals around the globe about water issues. This social commitment reflects Xylem’s ethos of valuing the “triple bottom-line:” financial, environmental and social.  The company firmly believes in the notion of doing well by doing good, and dedicates resources to initiatives that demonstrate its commitment. 

Xylem Watermark was founded in 2008 and, with its six nonprofit partners, has provided clean water and sanitation solutions to over three million people in 25 countries. Xylem launched its first Global Month of Service in October 2016 to provide a focused time to inspire employees to get involved and bring the mission of Xylem Watermark to their communities. In 2017, Xylem Watermark launched the Make Your Mark 30 Day Challenge to engage employees in solving global and local water issues in ways about which they are passionate.

To learn more about Xylem Watermark, please visit www.xylemwatermark.com.