CSR OF GOOGLE

About us

Since its founding, Google has been firmly committed to active philanthropy and to addressing the global challenges of climate change, education and poverty alleviation. Since 2007, Google also jump-started a series of social initiatives in China. We hope that by leveraging our own strengths and resources in-country, we will raise awareness of the importance of corporate philanthropy, and encourage society to participate in and contribute to the development of social responsibility.

Our works

Caring for China – Google China Social Innovation Cup for College Students

"Caring for China – Google China Social Innovation Cup for College Students" is a nationwide competition that aims to empower China’s youth to become agents of social change. By soliciting project ideas from college students and funding viable proposals, we hope to instill in China’s future leaders the values of social responsibility, the importance of community welfare, and the spirit of self-empowerment.
Social issues addressed have included education, poverty alleviation, disability aid, healthcare, women and children, arts and culture, and community development. Through project evaluation, mentorship and funding, we hope play a role in driving true social innovation in China.
The first Social Innovation Cup in 2008 achieved resounding success, with over 6000 applications from 755 colleges and universities, among which 1245 proposals from 375 schools entered into the semi-finals. At the same time, over a thousand volunteers from more than 500 schools were mobilized to support the effort. Of the 124 projects that entered the final, 32 were ultimately selected for awards ranging from 10,000-80,000 RMB (USD 1,460-11,700).
The second Social Innovation Cup in 2009 continued to gain awareness among college students with 6,252 applications from 766 colleges and universities, among which 1,181 proposals from 377 schools entered into the semi-finals. 29 proposals were selected as the winning projects who received Google's funds to run their projects during the summer of 2009.
In 2010, the competition has entered its third year with much bigger coverage and impact. Among the 18,200 proposals from 1,060 schools, 1,511 proposals from 506 schools has made to the semi-final round. 28 student teams were selected to be funded to run their projects in 2010 summer.
Now the fourth episode of the competition is under way. To get the most updated information, please visit our Social Innovation Cup website.

Supporting Earthquake Relief Efforts

At 2:28 pm on May 12th, 2008, a 8.0 magnitude earthquake struck Sichuan province in Western China, claiming the lives of tens of thousands. Amidst the chaos and despair, Google’s various departments mobilized immediately to support rescue and relief efforts.
To support the vast and urgent need for material resources, Google and its employees raised over 18 million RMB (USD 2.6mm) and donated over 7 million RMB (USD 1.02mm) ’s worth of free online advertising to earthquake relief organizations. At the same time, Google also developed a communication platform that included an information platform for resource support, a search platform for families looking for lost relatives, and a global platform for charitable donations. Google Maps also provided China’s State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping with satellite images of quake-affected regions to better aid and direct rescue efforts.
In early September 2008, Google funded construction of 15 Google Quake Relief Hope Schools in the city of Mianyang in Sichuan province, helping 18,184 elementary and high school students to return to the classroom. Below is a list of our Quake Relief Hope Schools:

• Santai county Mianyang city Xinlu town Google Quake Relief Hope High School
• Santai county Mianyang city Google Quake Relief Hope High School
• Santai county Mianyang city LuXi town Google Quake Relief Hope Elementary School
• Santai county Mianyang city Choulin town Google Quake Relief Hope High School
• Santai county Mianyang city An town Google Quake Relief Hope School
• Santai county Mianyang city Google Quake Relief Hope High School
• Santai county Mianyang city Lingxing town Google Quake Relief Hope Elementary School
• Santai county Mianyang city Luban town Google Quake Relief Hope School
• Santai county Mianyang city Xingfu village Google Quake Relief Hope Elementary School
• Santai county Mianyang city Badong town Google Quake Relief Hope Elementary School
• Santai county Mianyang city Tongcun town Yulin village Google Quake Relief Hope School
• Santai county Mianyang city Liuying town Google Quake Relief Hope School
• Santai county Mianyang city Xinping town Jianlin village Google Quake Relief Hope School
• Santai county Mianyang city Dongta town Google Quake Relief Hope High School
• Santai county Mianyang city Tongcun town Shi village Google Quake Relief Hope High School
• Santai county Mianyang city Qijiang town Google Quake Relief Hope School

Google has also partnered with MercyCorps, Save the Children, Doctors without Borders and other organizations to commit rescue and relief support to quake victims for the next 2-3 years, focusing especially on rebuilding, rehabilitating, and retraining.

Google Grants

Google Grants is an in-kind donation program awarding free AdWords advertising to select charitable organizations. Since its inception, we have supported hundreds of organizations in advocating and promoting their causes, from animal rights and literacy to abandoned children and HIV education.
Room to Read, which educates children in Vietnam, Nepal, India and Cambodia, attracted a sponsor who clicked on its AdWords ad. He has donated funds to support the education of 25 girls for the next 10 years.
The US Fund for UNICEF’s e-commerce site, Shop UNICEF, has experienced a 43 percent increase in sales over the previous year.
CoachArt, supporting children with life-threatening illnesses through art and athletics programs, has seen a 60 to 70 percent increase in volunteers.
In the aftermath of the Sichuan earthquake in China, Google Grants also supported the China Red Cross, China Charity Federation, China Youth Development Foundation, China Children and Teenager’s Fund and other organizations with free in-kind advertising of over 6 million RMB. Now, Jet Li’s One Foundation and his umbrella organizations have also started using Google Grants to promote the cause of corporate philanthropy.

Other Charitable Endeavors

• PHE Summer Camp’s college students tour Google headquarters (07/2007)
• 2007 New Great Wall Self-Empowerment Summer Camp’s leaders and trainees tour Google headquarters (08/2007)
• Partnership with JA China (02/2008)
• State-level Poverty Counties – Shaanxi Province, Chunhua County Survey Investigation (06/2008)
• Support for Tsinghua University Charity Foundation’s activities (07/2008)
• Support for Guizhou Province education effort (07/2008)
• Google Cultural Club hosts arts and culture charitable activities (2008)
• Innovate, develop and implement the "One Egg" project (2009)
• Googlers voluntary blood donations (03/2009)
• Tianjin Polytechnic University Deaf Students tour Google China headquarters (03/2009)
• Fund & support 2009 Mianyang City’s Junior High School track meet (03/2009)
• Google China employees participate in 2009 GoogleServe community services(06/2009)
• Sponsor bags for Kangba Philanthropy Primary School at Ganzi, Sichuan (08/2009)
• 2009 Google "Campus Volunteer Stars" Scholarship (09/2009)