PPG, PPG Foundation Invested $16.2 million in Communities Worldwide in 2022

PPG and the PPG Foundation announced that they invested $16.2 million in 2022, an increase of more than $2.5 million over 2021, to support more than 650 community partners and programs worldwide that are focused on advancing education and delivering community sustainability while encouraging PPG employee volunteerism.

“In 2022, we activated the power of our employee volunteers, color and paint expertise, and focus on STEM advancement to build better, brighter communities,” said Malesia Dunn, executive director, PPG Foundation and corporate global social responsibility. “From helping students thrive to aiding our neighbors in times of need, our community engagement activities supported our company’s purpose to ‘protect and beautify the world.’”

Highlights of the 2022 community engagement commitments include:
• $9.1+ million to build the next generation of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) leaders.
• The PPG Foundation and Discovery World Museum in Milwaukee opened the PPG STEM Lab to engage young minds who aspire to be scientists, engineers, and innovators.
• In Uithoorn, the Netherlands, PPG joined Centrum JongerenCommunicatie Chemie (C3) to launch an online STEM education platform and encourage future STEM careers.
• PPG supported the Girls in Tech initiative in Sumaré, Brazil with non-profit organization Casa Hacker to inspire women to work in technical fields and to offer training in electronics, computer programming, robotics and 3D printing.
• 70% progress toward the commitment to invest $20 million by 2025 supporting programs for black communities and people of color in the U.S.
• Programs including the Latino Community Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s youth internship and career support initiative and the American Printing House for the Blind’s STEM symposium, PPG partnerships helped students find the connections between STEM ideas and real-life innovations and careers.
• The PPG Foundation supported diverse students entering advanced STEM studies through partnerships with higher learning and professional organizations, including the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Bridge to the Chemistry Doctorate Program and American Institute of Chemical Engineers’ Future of STEM Scholars Initiative.
• Grantmaking also included initiatives with organizations such as the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and Equal Justice Initiative.
• $6.1+ million to community sustainability through colorful spaces, disaster and humanitarian relief:
• PPG provided humanitarian relief and educational support for the urgent and long-term recovery needs of Ukrainian refugees.
• The PPG Foundation contributed to the local emergency relief and recovery efforts of the American Red Cross following Hurricane Ian in Florida, USA and Hurricane Fiona in Puerto Rico.
• 87 COLORFUL COMMUNITIES projects completed in 2022 in 25 countries:
• PPG’s global Colorful Communities program has now completed 473 projects since 2015 and exceeded the initial $10 million commitment, dedicating more than $11 million to support this important initiative. More than 23,000 employee and community volunteers have used PPG paint products to bring color and brightness to community assets in nearly 50 countries, positively impacting more than 8.2 million people.
Throughout July 2022, the Colorful Communities program transformed 36 schools and learning spaces through the New Paint for a New Start campaign. More than 1,000 PPG volunteers took part in the initiative, which benefited more than 23,000 students and educators.

PPG provided more than $1 million to fund this initiative leading to transformations including:
• Lorenzo Cobianchi Secondary School in Verbania, Italy : After our volunteers painted the chemistry building’s corridors, classrooms and common areas, 2,000 students now have access to a colorful space for science exploration.
• TEDA No.1 Kindergarten in Tianjin, China: PPG volunteers created engaging spaces for students to learn and grow and revitalized the building’s exterior after it faced damage due to weathering.
• Ciudad de Brasilia school in Santiago, Chile: More than 115 volunteers helped 550 students by painting the walls of the school’s courtyard and corridors, including a nature-themed mural made from a student’s drawing.
• Rayburn Elementary STEAM Academy in Grand Prairie, Texas: PPG and Heart of America teamed up to revitalize a library, shared learning area, and painted four vibrant science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) murals.

“Resiliency, discovery and connection were among the key themes of our community investments in 2022. With the support of our partners worldwide we transformed classrooms, helped communities facing hardships, and encouraged students of all ages to pursue careers in STEM,” said Dunn.