IBM’s Peace Corp

Developmental initiative looking further a field

IBM’s breakthrough corporate citizenship initiative, the Corporate Service Corps, is entering into new countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America to provide small businesses, educational institutions and non profits with sophisticated pro bono business consulting and skills development to improve local conditions.

IBM today announced an expansion of its program, a corporate version of the Peace Corps, now in its second year, which sends teams of 8-10 of its top employees from around the world, with skills in technology, consulting, research, marketing and finance to key emerging markets for one month..

Later this month, IBM will begin deploying teams to new countries including Nigeria, Egypt, and Asia as well as returning to previous sites in other regions. By the end of 2009, IBM will have sent 52 global teams to countries including Philippines, Vietnam, China, Malaysia, Brazil, Tanzania, Ghana, South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt, Romania and Turkey.

“The Corporate Service Corps produces a triple benefit. Participants benefit via a once-in-a-life-time, problem-solving exercise in the developing world, communities gain by obtaining hundreds of thousands of dollars in pro bono expert consulting services, and IBM benefits by growing its next generation of leaders with the skills required to lead in a globally-integrated world,” said Stanley S. Litow, Vice President of Corporate Citizenship and Corporate Affairs, IBM.