PPG (NYSE:PPG) and the PPG Foundation today announced a commitment to invest $5 million by 2030 in environmental sustainability education.
PPG funding will support programming similar to NEEF’s Greening STEM project in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The program engaged middle school students in native tree planting and scientific research and monitoring. (Photo: NEEF)
Aligning with PPG’s 2030 sustainability targets and priorities, the new commitment will strengthen support of the next generation of innovators and maximize the impact within communities where PPG operates. The company will support programs that meet the specific environmental needs in markets where it operates, aligned with climate action and a more circular economy.
“Sustainability is an integral part of delivering on our promise to protect and beautify the world,” said Malesia Dunn, PPG executive director, PPG Foundation and corporate social responsibility. “Through this investment, we aim to educate young people around the world about climate issues, environmental stewardship, and prepare them for future STEM careers.”
PPG and the PPG Foundation will support educational programming related to topics such as clean energy, climate change, energy efficiency and reforestation. Related to the circular economy, PPG and the PPG Foundation will support educational and volunteer efforts around recycling, reuse and litter reduction.
Examples of partnerships and programs already agreed under the commitment include:
- The PPG Foundation is working with the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) to develop two “Greening STEM” programs that engage more than 600 middle school students in hands-on environmental investigations in Pittsburgh and East Point, Ga.
- The National Energy Education Development (NEED) is partnering with PPG to deliver two teacher workshops in Pittsburgh and Cleveland that will assist approximately 80 grade 6-8 educators in building content knowledge and capabilities for teaching energy topics in the classroom.
- In the U.K., PPG has partnered with the STEM Learning organization to support a program that provides professional development for educators, including courses to learn how to teach about environmental sustainability concepts.
- In Brazil, PPG will build on an existing long-term partnership with Junior Achievement to support the program “Attitude for the Planet,” which engages PPG volunteers and educators to teach environmental sustainability to high school students.
“We believe that STEM careers are at the cutting edge of innovation, and that they will help develop new technologies and processes that can help to address climate change and protect our environment,” said Dunn. “We want to prepare this generation – and generations to come – for this important role.”