Every year, the employees of Firmenich, a Swiss-owned family company with its North American headquarters located in Plainsboro, look forward to the opportunity to give back to the community. Philanthropy has been part of the Group’s culture for over 120 years. Today, the world’s largest privately-owned perfume and taste company holds annual events dedicated to volunteering, with employee-led initiatives supported by management, and the Firmenich Charitable Foundation.
The company, which creates fragrances, flavors, and specialty ingredients for the world’s most desirable brands, enhances the lives of over four billion people through taste and smell as well as its philanthropic efforts.
Firmenich has returned to sponsor the Eden Autism 5K & 1-Mile Fun Run/Walk for the second year in a row as part of its mission to support the community.
“The 5K was just a great event for our colleagues to come together,” said Firmenich Director of Trade and Compliance, Laura Heyburn. “Seeing the kids there and the groups that they’re helping enriches our lives as employees of Firmenich and we are grateful to have a positive impact in our local community.”
The Firmenich Charitable Foundation was founded in 2010 as the charitable arm of the company. The Foundation’s mission is to support sustainability, environmental protection, efforts to relieve hunger, improve nutrition and expand sustainable agriculture, as well as community charities across the globe. Recently, the Foundation focused its attention on helping COVID-19 relief. It donated 100 tons of hand sanitizer across the USA, Switzerland and parts of Southeast Asia to help meet the growing demand.
“Reaching out to the community is just part of our company culture,” said Heyburn. “It’s always important, being a family business, to make a positive contribution to the communities where we do business.” In addition to working with Eden, the organization has supported TASK, HomeFront, the Plainsboro Preserve, and many other local organizations.
Firmenich hosts a Global Community Day allowing employees to spend their time volunteering at a local organization. “Our Firmenich colleagues really take great pride in this day,” said Heyburn. “It’s something they really look forward to, and we continue to do work within our communities year-round.”
“Firmenich is a leader in corporate social responsibility, demonstrating the positive impact businesses can make in their communities,” said Eden Autism Board of Trustees Chair Mark Berkowsky. “We are grateful for their continued commitment to our mission of improving the lives of individuals with autism across our community.”
For more information about Firmenich, visit firmenich.com. For more information about the Eden Autism Virtual 5K & 1-Mile Fun Run/Walk and our event sponsors, visit edenautism5k.org.
