What can we make possible?

Although I am now just two weeks into my new role as Intel's Director of Corporate Responsibility, the topic of corporate responsibility is not something new to me. For over twelve years, I have had the privilege of managing Intel's corporate responsibility programs and philanthropic investments in California and Texas, engaging regularly with a wide range of Intel stakeholders.

In my time at Intel, I have seen firsthand the positive impact that Intel has had in our local communities, donating not just financial resources, but also time, knowledge, and skills. I also gained an appreciation for the complexities of the issues we face as a company, and how our commitment to openness and transparency has helped make us a better company over the years.

That is why I am so pleased for my inaugural blog to be focused on the release of Intel's 2008 Corporate Responsibility Report: What can we make possible? In the report, we highlight how the same principles that have made our core business a success-a commitment to innovation and investment-have helped us to begin to help tackle global challenges, whether it's helping to train teachers, volunteering in local organizations or designing more energy-efficient products.

So what were we able to accomplish in 2008? 2008 was an important year for corporate responsibility at Intel - we were able to make strides in our core focus areas and take some of our programs to a new level:

- We became the largest purchaser of green power in the U.S, according to the U.S. EPA.

- We surpassed the milestone of training 6 million teachers worldwide through the Intel® Teach Program.

- The Intel Foundation announced its commitment to invest $120 million dollars over the next ten years in science competitions to inspire the next generation of innovators.

- Our 80,000+ employees around the world gave back over 1.3 million volunteer hours to over 5,000 schools and community-based organizations in over 40 countries, triggering $8.5 million in matching grants from the Intel Foundation.

The report also talks about the many challenges we faced in the past year. From increases in our waste generation and water use to continued efforts to improve the overall representation of women in the workforce and quantify the impact of our community and education programs, we discuss the steps we are taking to improve in these areas.

My hope is that you find the new report a valuable resource to get the detailed data and information you need to better understand and evaluate our company's performance on corporate responsibility. But more importantly, I hope you view it as a jumping off point for conversation and dialogue.

So please let us know your thoughts on what we have accomplished and what we still have left to do. I look forward to your feedback and ideas on the report and to our continuing conversation on this blog.