Promoting health, creating change  - Transcript

Ronald A. Williams
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Aetna Inc.
Chairman, Aetna Foundation, Inc.

All of us at Aetna and the Aetna Foundation believe that good health is an asset that delivers enormous benefits to individuals and communities, and the nation as a whole.

Acting on that belief, we award grants, forge partnerships, and advance innovations that improve health care quality, access and affordability.

For nearly four decades, the Aetna Foundation has been helping to improve the health of our nation and the communities where we live and work, by addressing issues such as health literacy, diversity, community development, and health disparities.

In 2009, Aetna and the Aetna Foundation awarded more than $20 million dollars in grants and sponsorships, with a focus on reducing obesity and improving health care equity.

And Aetna's employees and retirees continued to uphold our long-standing tradition of giving back to communities. Together, they donated a record $4.4 million dollars and volunteered nearly 320,000 hours of their time to various projects, including donating blood, refurbishing homes, and mentoring and tutoring youth.

We continue to provide funding to organizations such as Northwestern University in Chicago, and the Connecticut Children's Medical Center, which are spearheading new research programs designed to tackle our nation's toughest health challenges.

These strategic and hands-on efforts, combined with our business knowledge, are helping to position Aetna as a leader in creating solutions for a better health care system.

You can be assured that we will continue to contribute our best ideas, financial support, and volunteer service to make quality health care, and good health habits, a way of life for everyone.

Aetna Foundation 2009 Annual Giving Report - Promoting health, creating change

In 2009, Aetna and the Aetna Foundation awarded more than $20 million in grants and sponsorships across the nation. Aetna's employees continued our tradition of volunteerism by logging more than 317,000 volunteer hours to help their communities.

The Aetna Foundation also welcomed a new president, Anne Beal, MD, MPH, who is a physician, author and authority in health disparities, quality of care, and children's health. Dr. Beal has refocused the foundation's national and regional grantmaking on three program areas: Obesity, Racial and Ethnic Health Care Equity, and Integrated Health Care.

Our charitable giving and employee involvement are promoting health and creating change. Take a moment to explore a few examples of how we are:

  • Combating Obesity by supporting organizations like the Connecticut Children's Medical Center, which is helping pediatricians and nurses more confidently counsel families about behaviors that could lead to obesity
  • Promoting Health Equity by funding projects at the Center for Health Care Equity at Northwestern University to better understand how technology, access and health literacy can improve health care equity and quality
  • Supporting Employee Involvement with community groups such as The CUREchief Foundation®, which provides free, handmade head scarves to those experiencing hair loss due to cancer treatments and other conditions