Tech Citizenship

Smaragdis

Having a global reach, Sun Microsystems Inc. sees influences from around the world having an effect on its charitable efforts right here in New England.

In 2003, Sun launched an initiative called Project Open Doors in São Paulo, Brazil, that invites high school students to visit local Sun campuses. That effort proved so successful, Sun expanded it to a number of facilities in the United States, including the local offices in Burlington, where high school students from the area learned about Web 2.0 technologies from the company that created one of its backbones, Java.

To make employee volunteering even easier, Sun runs a Global Volunteer Program that includes a company web portal through which employees can share ideas about giving back to their communities. Locally, Sun employees have volunteered their time in such places as Rosie’s Place in Boston, the Stone Zoo in Stoneham and the Burlington Town Common Cleanup effort.

Another strong focus for Sun is providing opportunity for underserved communities worldwide.

“Sun Microsystems’ Global Citizenship group supports the company’s mission to deliver network access to underserved populations and eliminate the digital divide,” said Mary Smaragdis, executive director of the Sun Foundation, via e-mail.

Like any good Java-focused business, Sun is always brewing something fresh. For next year, Sun plans to expand its Project Open Doors to include additional events at sites in Burlington; Broomfield, Colo.; New Jersey; and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Citizenship Facts

Sun Microsystems Inc.

Total cash contributions in New England in 2006: $2,182,549

Number of volunteer hours in New England in 2006: 546

In-kind contributions of equipment and services in New England: $264,886

Principal recipients of charitable activities in 2006: Bedford Minuteman Bike Trail; Bedford Public Schools; Friends of Boston Harbor; Nashua Soup Kitchen

Interesting philanthropic activities: Since 2003, Sun employees in São Paulo, Brazil, have been donating their personal time after work and on weekends to provide technology-focused education to disadvantaged teenagers. During Sun’s Worldwide Volunteer Week 2007, employees extended Project Open Doors to several Sun facilities in the United States. One workshop was held in Nashua, N.H., for elderly members of the local community to learn how to use the Internet. Employees in Burlington welcomed a group of high school students to the campus where they learned about Web 2.0 and received a campus tour.

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