Employees worldwide participate in water quality and conservation efforts Company launches a Facebook campaign to raise funds for safe water solutions
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., March 22, 2010 – Today at ITT Corporation locations around the world, employees will engage in volunteer events to commemorate World Water Day, an annual observance designated by the United Nations to draw attention to the need for safe drinking water and sanitation. As a global leader in the transport, treatment and control of water and wastewater, ITT will engage its employees at approximately 100 facilities in local events tied to water quality and conservation.
"Our employees take great pride in the opportunity to express their dedication to addressing the global water crisis on a daily basis—through both our business operations and their personal involvement in volunteer efforts," said Steve Loranger, ITT chairman, president and chief executive officer. "ITT is proud to mark World Water Day by applying our expertise in our local communities to make an impact on a global scale."
ITT's World Water Day efforts support the company's year-round mission to provide innovative and energy-efficient systems and technologies to solve pressing clean water and wastewater needs around the globe. ITT Watermark®, the company's signature corporate citizenship program, leverages ITT's technologies to provide safe water, sanitation and hygiene education to children and families in schools and in disaster-struck areas of the developing world.
In honor of World Water Day, ITT's 40,000 employees around the world, will mark World Water Day through global volunteer events ranging from conducting river clean ups to working with students to test the quality of local water bodies. As part of these efforts, Bjorn von Euler, director of corporate philanthropy for ITT, will join ITT volunteers in Yunnan, China to visit two schools that ITT Watermark has recently provided with safe water pumps, latrines and hand-washing stations.
ITT is also raising funds for its nonprofit partners—Mercy Corps, Water For People and China Women's Development Foundation—through a Facebook campaign. From March 22 - March 26, ITT will donate $1 to safe water solutions for every new fan of the ITT Watermark Facebook fan page. According to Water.org, the average estimated global cost of providing water to one person for a lifetime is $25. This means for every 25 new fans, water can be provided to one person for life. ITT is encouraging its employees, customers and operating communities to log on to Facebook and become a fan of ITT Watermark by visiting www.ittwatermark.com/facebook.
The 2010 observance of World Water Day is part of ITT's larger commitment to promoting the sustainable use of the world's water resources. ITT is co-chair of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development's water initiative, founder of the Stockholm Water Prize, and the global sponsor of the Stockholm Junior Water Prize—all of which address the conservation of water worldwide.
Since its launch in 2008, ITT Watermark has provided safe water to more than 500,000 children and families in locations around the globe. This includes installing safe water pumps, latrines and hand-washing stations at 184 schools in India, China, Guatemala and Honduras. The program has secured critical water supplies and provided response training and equipment for more than 350,000 people in disaster-struck countries such as Myanmar, Nepal, China, and Haiti.
About ITT Corporation
ITT Corporation is a high-technology engineering and manufacturing company operating on all seven continents in three vital markets: water and fluids management, global defense and security, and motion and flow control. With a heritage of innovation, ITT partners with its customers to deliver extraordinary solutions that create more livable environments, provide protection and safety and connect our world. Headquartered in White Plains, N.Y., the company generated 2009 revenue of $10.9 billion. www.itt.com
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