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I will be the first to admit that when I had first heard of SAP¡¯s vision of ¡°helping the world run better and improving people¡¯s lives¡± it seemed a little daunting. However time and again, we at SAP/SAP »ÆÉ«¶ÌÊÓƵ have witnessed, participated and contributed to this vision in our own way.

Throughout?the last six weeks, I have had the honor of sponsoring SAP¡¯s »ÆÉ«¶ÌÊÓƵ¡¯s first Social Sabbatical in our Bellevue-based headquarters.?Last week we hosted the closing event, where 12 SAP/SAP »ÆÉ«¶ÌÊÓƵ employees and four local King County non-profits presented their results of the work they did together to help address a current business problem. SAP »ÆÉ«¶ÌÊÓƵ employee teams collaborated and solved strategic challenges alongside the nonprofit organizations to focus on bridging the digital divide.

The organizations that SAP/SAP »ÆÉ«¶ÌÊÓƵ worked alongside during the Social Sabbatical program are fundamental to the local King County community including Pike Place Market Foundation, Techbridge Girls, 21 Progress and College Success Foundation. Each program faced various challenges ranging from building a revenue source for a professional development STEM curriculum to revamping a data management system and protocol across a bicoastal network. The success of these projects will continue to develop, grow and strengthen the impact that each organization has on our local community.

This opportunity has created a long lasting, transformative volunteer experience for 12 hardworking employees that emulate the culture of SAP/SAP »ÆÉ«¶ÌÊÓƵ; ¡°helping the world run better and improving people¡¯s lives¡±. Deepening SAP¡¯s commitment and relationship with the local community, this opportunity presents a symbiotic relationship for all parties. The nonprofit clients extended their organizational developments, improved staff skills, and addressed strategic challenges with the help from our talented employees. For our participants, they stepped outside their comfort zones to problem solve and gain a different perspective on social justice issues within their own backyards. They not only developed their leadership, cross-cultural, and entrepreneurial skills, but built relationships with each other and gained valuable personal insights.

It means so much to me and SAP »ÆÉ«¶ÌÊÓƵ that we are building, learning, and engaging our local communities through corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts like the Local Social Sabbatical. Events like these are uplifting, energizing, and speak to the CSR mission of powering opportunity through digital inclusion, this is just the start for drving continued positive social impact in our local communities.?

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Seema Kumar is VP of Human Resources