Alcoa Achieves Record Volunteerism Rate

As the world celebrates United Nations International Volunteer Day, Alcoa (NYSE: AA) announced that a record-breaking 60 percent of employees, or 34,000, made a difference in communities around the world during the Company’s annual Month of Service. According to the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship, the average rate of corporate volunteering for U.S. company-sponsored volunteer programs is between 17 and 35 percent.

In October, Alcoa employees, retirees, friends, families and community members across 24 countries joined together to participate in more than 1,050 projects, supporting local causes by collecting and distributing food, improving literacy, donating blood, recycling, renovating school and community centers, and planting trees.

“While our people volunteer year round, Month of Service is a way to bring employees, retirees, friends, family and neighbors together on coordinated projects that are meaningful to them and that multiply our impact in communities,” said Paula Davis, President, Alcoa Foundation. “We are proud to achieve a new Company best and grateful to our nonprofit partners who helped us make it happen.”

To further Alcoa’s impact, 10 of the nonprofit organizations that employees volunteered with in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Hungary, Russia, the United Kingdom and United States received surprise grants of $10,000 each from Alcoa Foundation, totaling $100,000. Alcoa leaders participating in the projects presented the organizations with the checks.

2012 Month of Service Highlights

• Served more than 13,000 meals
• Helped 36,000 children
• Supported 400 schools
• Recycled 265,455 aluminum cans
• Partnered 2,050 nonprofit organizations

“Spirit of Volunteering” Photo Contest

Alcoa Foundation hosted the third annual “Spirit of Volunteering” Photo Contest to recognize and reward volunteers. The winners were selected by Alcoa employees, Alcoa Chairman and CEO Klaus Kleinfeld, Alcoa’s Executive Council, the senior leadership group, Alcoa customers and Alcoa Foundation nonprofit partners. Each winner will receive a US$5,000 grant from Alcoa Foundation for their favorite charity. Visit http://www.alcoa.com/monthofservice to view the winning photos.

About Alcoa Foundation

Alcoa Foundation is one of the largest corporate foundations in the U.S., with assets of approximately US$446 million. Founded more than 50 years ago, Alcoa Foundation has invested more than US$550 million since 1952. In 2011, Alcoa Foundation contributed more than US$20 million to nonprofit organizations throughout the world, building innovative partnerships, engaging its people to improve the environment and educating tomorrow’s leaders. The work of Alcoa Foundation is further enhanced by Alcoa’s thousands of employee volunteers who share their energy, passion and purpose to make a difference in the communities where Alcoa operates. Through the company’s signature Month of Service program, in 2011, a record 56 percent of Alcoa employees took part in more than 1,200 events across 24 countries, reaching 81,000 children, serving 9,000 meals, planting 34,000 trees and supporting 1,800 nonprofit organizations. More information can be found at  www.alcoafoundation.com.

About Alcoa

Alcoa is the world’s leading producer of primary and fabricated aluminum, as well as the world’s largest miner of bauxite and refiner of alumina. In addition to inventing the modern-day aluminum industry, Alcoa innovation has been behind major milestones in the aerospace, automotive, packaging, building and construction, commercial transportation, consumer electronics and industrial markets over the past 120 years. Among the solutions Alcoa markets are flat-rolled products, hard alloy extrusions, and forgings, as well as Alcoa® wheels, fastening systems, precision and investment castings, and building systems in addition to its expertise in other light metals such as titanium and nickel-based super alloys. Sustainability is an integral part of Alcoa’s operating practices and the product design and engineering it provides to customers. Alcoa has been a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for 11 consecutive years and approximately 75 percent of all of the aluminum ever produced since 1888 is still in active use today. Alcoa employs approximately 61,000 people in 31 countries across the world. For more information, visit www.alcoa.com and follow @Alcoa on Twitter at twitter.com/Alcoa.

Copyright Business Wire 2010