Bechtel today thanked employees at the company’s affiliated government and nuclear projects for donating nearly $10 million in 2017 and for volunteering countless hours to support their surrounding communities across the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Efforts included a dozen free screenings of the movie “Dream Big: Engineering our World,” of which Bechtel is the presenting sponsor, for more than 1,300 schoolchildren in locations from Augusta, Georgia to Canberra, Australia.
“We’re privileged to have so many dedicated people working at our project sites and permanent offices,” said Barbara Rusinko, president of Bechtel’s Nuclear, Security and Environmental business unit. “Their stewardship efforts reflect our commitment to actively engage and support local communities, with a special emphasis this year on STEM education.”
Other examples at Bechtel-affiliated projects include:
- The Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant and its employees donated funds and volunteer hours to local charities and organizations in southeastern Washington including Toys for Tots, Junior Achievement, Second Harvest, United Way, March of Dimes, and various educational institutions.
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s annual employee giving campaign raised funds for local charitable organizations through employee donations and a match from Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC, which manages the lab. The community gift program supported California organizations that focus on literacy, cultural arts and science, engineering and math education opportunities for children.
- Consolidated Nuclear Security LLC and its employees at the Pantex Plant in Texas and the Y-12 National Security Complex in Tennessee were active in charitable contributions to United Way, educational activities, employee-directed community grants, and sponsorships.
- Los Alamos National Laboratory’s annual employee giving campaign is a key contributor to charities and educational programs in New Mexico and elsewhere, through donations from lab employees and a match from the lab’s management organization, Los Alamos National Security LLC. In 2017, the Los Alamos Employee’s Scholarship Fund awarded scholarships to 111 New Mexico students.
- Employees at the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant project in Colorado, led by Bechtel National Inc., and the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant project in Kentucky, managed by Bechtel Parsons Blue Grass, donated significant funding to United Way and other charitable organizations, volunteered for school, community, and charitable programs; hosted 900 middle school students for a screening of “Dream Big,” and donated more than 40,000 pounds of food to local food banks in 2017.
- Employees at nuclear and government projects in the UK co-sponsored an international FIRST Lego League competition in Bath, England; and employees at a government project in Australia held a screening of “Dream Big” for children in Canberra.
- Union tradespeople and colleagues at the Plant Vogtle Units 3 & 4 construction project in Georgia joined together to replenish a Toys for Tots program that suffered a burglary just before the holidays.
- Employees at Bechtel’s offices in Tennessee, Virginia, and California, donated time and money in support of local food banks, robotics competitions, the U.S. Navy SeaBee scholarship fund, and community activities; professional clothing and accessories to a workforce development program; and money, supplies, and holiday presents to a shelter for abused women.
Rusinko also thanked the organizations that team with Bechtel on many of these projects, including universities and industry leaders. Bechtel works side by side with customers, communities, contractors, government entities, and local organizations to establish common goals for the projects and the community. More information is available in Bechtel’s 2017 sustainability report.
The company’s signature stewardship program partners include FIRST®, Junior Achievement Worldwide, DiscoverE, and Engineers Without Borders. Bechtel partners with the four nonprofits to support education, encourage volunteerism and improve communities globally by sharing our engineering and construction expertise.
