As we collectively work to turn the corner on the COVID-19 pandemic, the range of impact across the globe is becoming more visible. The surge of infections in India is a call for greater investment to help our collective cause.
Last April, SAP established a €3 million COVID-19 Emergency Fund, used to support organizations on the front lines, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the CDC Foundation. Today, we are doubling our commitment by adding another €3 million for a total of €6 million to the COVID-19 Emergency Fund.
Of this new donation, €1 million will go to COVAX, the vaccines pillar of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator. COVAX is co-led by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi, and the WHO, as well as long-term SAP partner UNICEF. Its aim is to accelerate the development and manufacture of COVID-19 vaccines and to guarantee fair and equitable access for every country in the world.
Beyond that donation, we will use the emergency fund to support India-based employees, their families, and the communities in which they live and work. Kulmeet Bawa, president of SAP India, and Sindhu Gangadharan, senior vice president and managing director of SAP Labs India, are doing everything possible to support the massive relief effort on the ground. Local SAP India teams are facilitating vaccination to employees and their families at our SAP Labs India facilities.
In parallel, SAP continues to work closely with non-profit organizations and strategic partners, including the NASSCOM Foundation and UNDP India, to support the community to:
- Augment public health and healthcare infrastructure
- Offer preventative care measures for citizens, including SAP employees
- Deliver homecare support for citizens, including SAP employees
- Conduct awareness and sensitization campaign for COVID-19 vaccination
The battle against COVID-19 affects all of us; we can only win it together. As a company with more than 103,000 employees from 145 countries and cultures, we share in the global responsibility to address the devastating impacts of this pandemic.
Beyond our social commitments and support of our global employee base, SAP remains committed to the success and resilience of our customers. Progress has been made, but the fight is far from over.
