Tech Citizenship

In 2002, Boston Scientific Corp. formalized its charitable giving effort with the establishment of the Boston Scientific Foundation.

During its first full year of operation in 2003, the Boston Scientific Foundation awarded more than $1 million in grants to programs across the country.

“We see philanthropy as one of our obligations as a good community partner and corporate citizen,” said Paul Donovan, senior vice president of the Boston Scientific Foundation, via e-mail while traveling. “Our giving complements Boston Scientific’s core mission of improving lives.”

The majority of the activities are focused on the areas of health, education and human services.

“We use a set of guiding principles to select programs that align with our mission and allow us to make the greatest impact in the communities where our employees live and work,” said Donovan.

Its health-related grants seek to improve the health of individuals with unmet needs, while its education-related grants seek to improve educational opportunities and skills development for those at risk of not fulfilling their potential.

In an effort to maximize local impact, a Boston Scientific Employee Community Team in each region where Boston Scientific is located makes recommendations on grant applications from that region. The foundation’s board of directors oversees nationwide initiatives.

In 2005, Boston Scientific contributed more than $8.5 million, which includes charitable giving by the company and its employees ($7.4 million) and the Boston Scientific Foundation ($1.1 million).

Some of the contributions included more than $3.6 million to the American Red Cross Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina relief efforts and $250,000 to Doctors Without Borders. The relationship between Boston Scientific and Doctors Without Borders, an international medical humanitarian organization, started in 2004 when the company bestowed a gift to the organization as part of the company’s 24th anniversary celebration. Since 2004, Boston Scientific has contributed $1.25 million to the organization.

Recently, the company set records for participation and contributions at the American Heart Association’s Boston Heart event, where 700 employees walked, raising $180,000.

The foundation’s largest national investment is the Boston Scientific Foundation Health Disparities Initiative. The goal of this initiative is to support innovations in patient self-management in selected community health centers in regions of the United States where Boston Scientific is located.

The initiative provides grants and other support to community health centers that serve those who are poor, uninsured or disenfranchised. The initiative was designed in collaboration with the national Bureau of Primary Health Care and its Health Disparities Collaboratives.

Citizenship Facts

Boston Scientific Corp.

Total cash contributions in New England in 2005: $8.5M

Number of volunteer hours in New England in 2005: N/A

In-kind contributions of equipment and services in New England: N/A

Principal recipients of charitable activities in 2005: American Heart Association, Framingham; Biomedical Science Career program, Boston; Mass General Hospital for Children, Boston

Interesting philanthropic activities: In 2005, Boston Scientific set records for participation and contributions at the American Heart Association’s Boston Heart event, where 700 employees walked, raising $180,000.

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