Siemens Companies in Brazil Join Forces for Donations to COVID-19 Relief Initiatives Benefiting Over 1.5 Million People

Via Siemens Energy – In order to contribute with effective measures to combat the new Coronavirus, the companies Siemens (Infrastructure and Industry), Siemens Energy, Siemens Mobility, and Siemens Healthineers based in Brazil joined forces with the Siemens Foundation to enable a donation of R$4.35 million in services, solutions, equipment, and partnerships aimed at supporting the Brazilian public health system.

The donations were directed to the Ministry of Health and Fiotec, an organization of FioCruz based in Rio de Janeiro, in addition to philanthropic hospitals located in the North and Southeast Regions of Brazil, benefiting around 1.5 million people.

To the Ministry of Health, installation services, training, and guarantees for 30 CT scanners were donated, together with power panels for imaging diagnostic equipment.

“With the pandemic, the challenges and vulnerabilities of the health system became even more exposed and showed society the need for better resource management and investment in the sector. Our contribution through donations is aligned with our purpose of building a smarter and more inclusive healthcare system, as well as enabling greater access to health,” comments Armando Lopes, General Director of Siemens Healthineers in Brazil.

Another contribution from the companies is focused on the donation of products from their portfolio, such as low-voltage equipment and automation for Fiotec’s facilities, including its Testing Center. 

“This is an important moment for companies to take action for society, either through donations, putting assets into production for protective items for people, or developing solutions to combat COVID-19. With a joint and coordinated action involving the different organizations in Siemens’ ecosystem, the benefits for the population are much greater,” asserts Pablo Fava, CEO of Siemens AG in Brazil.

·    R$ 4.35 million was raised to assist the Brazilian public health system with solutions, services, equipment supply, PPE, and hospital supplies.

·    The amount will be donated to the Ministry of Health and Fiotec, in addition to philanthropic hospitals located in the North and Southeast Regions of Brazil.

Through the Siemens Foundation, the organizations also contributed to the “Saving Lives” project, conceived by BNDES in partnership with SITAWI, an NGO specialized in the management of philanthropic funds. The raised funds were used to purchase Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and supplies such as gowns, gloves, hand sanitizer, masks, and caps for 19 hospitals located in cities in the Northern Region of Brazil, in Campos de Goytacazes and São João da Barra, both in Rio de Janeiro, and in Jundiaí, in the interior of São Paulo. 

Part of the total amount received by BNDES was donated by the companies’ collaborators through the collective financing campaign “Together Against the Coronavirus,” conducted with the aim of giving these individuals a chance to be part of this collaborative action. The initiative, which received an initial contribution from the Siemens Foundation, just like the Saving Lives project, used the concept of matchmaking, in which for every R$1 donated, the organization donated another R$1.

“The very definition of Siemens Energy’s positioning compels us to go further and help. It is very rewarding to see that our teams’ ability to organize around actions that engage with society goes beyond the scope of business, generating a meaningful social impact when the country needs it most,” says André Clark, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Siemens Foundation and General Manager of Siemens Energy Brazil.”

Task Force in Favor of Society

In line with Siemens’ purpose to create value and effectively contribute to society, several initiatives were also conducted internally to make a difference in the fight against the virus.

Collaborators from the Jundiaí location produced about 800 face shields, which were donated to the city hall. Additionally, the technical team from the Building Technology area provided support to hospitals, hotels, and other types of client and partner buildings that had to make adaptations to accommodate individuals with confirmed COVID-19 diagnoses.

At the same time, through a multidisciplinary committee divided into nine pillars of action, several initiatives are being coordinated with collaborators to protect the health of individuals affected by the pandemic. Since its establishment, about 3,000 hours have been donated.