There’s an initiative here at Microsoft that’s called ‘Give’. I wasn’t really aware of it until recently when disaster struck China and Myanmar. Here’s how it works: Microsoft partners with a variety of international organizations that support relief efforts, including The American Red Cross, CARE, MercyCorps - US, Save the Children, NetHope and World Vision. If you’re based in the US, you can donate to these or any qualifying organization via Give (internal site) and Microsoft will match your donation. If you’re based in China, Microsoft China will match earthquake relief donations made through a specially created site. If you’re based outside the US and China, you can go directly to the organization’s website to make donations.

Microsoft is aiding the various response efforts in China and Myanmar with technical resources, corporate donations and volunteer support. Our disaster response team is working with subsidiary teams in China and Thailand to help where it’s most needed, while Microsoft.com and MSN are highlighting ways the public can help. In addition, employees in many Microsoft subsidiaries have been working non-stop to support relief efforts. The Chinese Microsoft Employees (CHIME) Community has reached out to relief organizations in China and created an internal website with additional information.

A few things then became clear to me. We have our own disaster response team, which is - to say the least - pretty wow. And there’s a lot of social efforts within the company amongst the employees of all countries to contribute in any way they can, which I find really cool too. The Citizenship Program, as it is called, helps a load of organizations take advantage of tools, technology and resources that enable them to respond effectively when disasters occur.

I admit, things like these make me proud to be part of this company.