Cognizant commits $250 mn to global corporate social responsibility

Technology giant Cognizant on Thursday announced a new five-year $250 million corporate social responsibility (CSR) commitment to advance economic mobility, educational opportunity, diversity and inclusion, and health and well-being in communities worldwide.

In a press release, the US-based company said that building on its longstanding investment in CSR, Cognizant, with its extensive global presence, will work to create stronger, healthier, and more inclusive communities as they emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We are determined to live our purpose of improving everyday life and apply our technology and business expertise to help tackle global problems,” the release quoted Cognizant CEO Brian Humphries as saying.

“This $250 million initiative aims to create conditions for people to thrive by expanding access to education, healthcare, and technology, and by advancing diversity and inclusion in communities around the world,” he added.

The company said, beginning 2021, Cognizant and its foundations will expand grantmaking in the U.S. and India to new global markets where the company continues to grow its operations, including Australia, Canada, Germany, and the UK.

Also, Cognizant will introduce new philanthropic programs to advance diversity and inclusion efforts in partnership with Cognizant's Affinity Groups, supporting African American, Latinx, LGBTQ, Pan-Asian, women, and veteran communities.

The new programs will also expand employees’ opportunities to contribute their time and skills and deploy additional Covid-19 relief funds that build on commitments made in 2020, the release said.

“To date, Cognizant and its foundations estimate they have impacted more than 4 million people, working with over 300 organizations to increase access to quality education and healthcare and improve economic mobility in communities where Cognizant operates. More than 166,000 employees have volunteered their time and expertise in support of these efforts over the last five years,” the company said.