More than 21 years in community service: Novartis takes part in annual Community Partnership Day in Canada

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More than 300 Novartis associates across Canada are joining their colleagues from around the world in stepping out into their neighbourhoods to provide volunteer help to a wide variety of social causes as part of the company’s 21st Community Partnership Day.

The event is as old as the company itself and is held annually to mark its founding in 1996. This year, more than 24,500 associates in 52 countries will take part in a wide range of activities. In Canada, associates from the Pharmaceuticals and Oncology teams based in Dorval and Sandoz Canada colleagues in Boucherville along with Alcon Canada Mississauga, Ontario colleagues will be taking part in the annual event.


“Community Partnership Day is an important day for each one of us at Novartis. The event allows us to contribute to some of the many vital community organizations and causes that form such an important part of our social fabric,” said Janice Murray, President, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. “We encourage volunteer activities with all our associates and are very gratified to know that many of them go above and beyond by taking part in more volunteer work in their communities throughout the year.”

That sentiment is backed up by Kathleen Greenfield, Coordinator of Community Relations for Volunteer West Island (VWI) which helps Novartis organize the day for Dorval-based associates through the VWI Corporate Volunteer Program. “We know Novartis employees often return on their own or through our volunteer recruitment programs for individuals or youth, to volunteer with the groups they first get to know through Community Partnership Day and they also encourage their friends and even their children,” she said. “It’s great to see how this day benefits so many people in so many ways throughout the year. The groups are always eager to welcome back the teams from Novartis and are very appreciative.”

For this year’s Community Partnership Day, about 120 Dorval-based associates will be giving their time to nine different community groups from Hudson to downtown Montreal. They will pack food at a food bank, clean buildings, wash windows, garden, paint, and help prepare and serve meals. They will also be collecting used printer cartridges and phones to finance guide dogs for the MIRA Foundation, toiletries and other items for elderly residents of the Centre Hébergement Denis-Benjamin Viger, and prom dresses and accessories for underprivileged high school seniors for the group Fées Marraines.

About 80 Alcon associates in Mississauga will be doing volunteer work with five different community groups and will be collecting items for New Circle, which also provides complete prom outfits to high school graduates, as well as for the Readasaurus Kit, CNIB’s early literacy kit for families of kids with vision loss.

In Boucherville, nearly 100 Sandoz Canada associates will be volunteering at three organizations on May 11, La Croisée de Longueuil, the Moisson Rive-Sud food bank and Colonie des Grèves de Contrecoeur.