We believe in inspiring a volunteer spirit in the Kingdom’s youth and tackling the big challenges, especially traffic safety. We also conduct a range of community outreach programs and fund-raising events, as well as public awareness campaigns and sponsorship programs.

Giving something back

We believe that healthy, active and happy employees create better communities and more productive workplace environments. Our employees and their families have many opportunities to volunteer through organizations, such as:

• Recreation Services Division: Over 50 volunteer employee groups run outreach activities from cancer awareness programs and environmental projects, to charity runs, swimming teams, and baseball and football leagues.
• Saudi Aramco Medical Services Organization (SAMSO): Offers a volunteer program promoting health initiatives in local communities

Reaching out to those in need

Our community outreach programs offer a range of cultural activities, events and entertainment to hundreds of thousands of people in the Kingdom:

• Children’s Art Contest: An annual event designed to nurture talent and creativity among young people.
  
• Around 1.5 million people attended Saudi Aramco-sponsored summer Cultural Programs in 2011.
• In addition, the iSpark program kicked off in 2011 with 1,600 students taking courses in multimedia, science and technology.
• Another highlight of Saudi Aramco’s summer Cultural Program was the International Sports Academy for children aged 7-14 which encouraged physical activity and gave a glimpse of what it takes to become a major football star.
• In similar programs hosted by six Saudi Aramco-built Built Government Schools, students aged 15-17 were given the opportunity to attend soccer training sessions.
• Saudi Aramco sports programs attracted 1,560 youth. Participants in our programs include children with cancer at King Faisal Specialist Hospital, patients at al-Nagaha Hospital in Riyadh and orphans in al-Kharj and as-Sulayyil.

Making our roads safer

We believe it’s our responsibility to address the most important issues in our communities – especially traffic safety. Saudi Arabia has one of the highest motor vehicle fatalities per accident rates in the world.

In 2011, traffic safety and fire prevention were the two most critical safety threats on which we focused.

• Saudi Aramco coordinated a comprehensive Citizenship Outreach Safety Program for 40 schools in the Western Province. In 2011, a 17 percent decrease in on-the-job motor vehicle accidents rates was recorded.
• We also appointed a full-time team dedicated to spearhead the effort to reduce motor vehicle fatalities through Saudi Aramco’s Traffic Safety Signature Program (TSSP).
• In the area of enforcement, the TSSP contributed funding and expertise to the third phase of a government project to establish command centers in Ras Tanura, Jubail, Nuairiyah, Khafji, Hafer Al Baten and Al Hasa.
• Since 2009, the Saudi Aramco Safety Simulator Trailer has helped to promote awareness of defensive driving among students and young people.
  

Donating where it counts

In addition to our ethos of donating, in 2011, one one-third of the donation funds was directed to the following five programs:

• Expanding “edutainment” halls for people with special needs.
• Renovating the houses of needy families.
• Providing life skills courses for orphans with special conditions.
• Educating the community about diabetes, obesity and other common health problems through the Early Detection Mobile Clinic
• Offering rehabilitation and vocational training for juvenile delinquents.

Health and well-being

Medical treatment: Through Saudi Aramaco Medical Services Organization (SAMSO), we’ve developed a network of private hospitals, supporting health-care excellence and helping to giving give communities access to world-class medical facilities.

In addition, in 2011, 82 medical facilities received development support from SAMSO.

SAMSO also created a Nursing Outreach Program that helps local hospitals implement our best-practise practice model.

In 2011, SAMSO held nine Community Health Care Forums, an opportunity to give and receive feedback and hear ideas from customers.

We have also launched several anti-smoking campaigns.