Otis Social Impact | Corporate social responsibility
Social Impact
We succeed by being a good corporate citizen
With customers in approximately 200 countries and territories, Otis is a true global citizen. Everywhere we do business, we operate on the belief that financial performance and corporate responsibility go hand in hand.
We see corporate citizenship as both an ethical responsibility and a business imperative – and embrace the idea that to do well, we must also do good. It’s why we invest in our local communities, encourage employee volunteerism, aim to minimize our environmental footprint, nurture a workplace culture of diversity and inclusion, and uphold the highest standards of safety, ethics and quality.
As we strive to give people freedom to connect and thrive in a taller, faster, smarter world, we’re also committed to making life better everywhere we do business.
Made to Move Communities™
Focusing on issues vital both to Otis and to the communities where we live and work
LEARN MOREEach year, our employees around the world volunteer thousands of hours of their own time to support the needs of the communities where they live and work
Green Shoots South Asia
Our employees are enthusiastic advocates of Green Shoots, a program to enhance children’s learning environments by building or renovating educational facilities, setting up libraries and offering classroom lessons that help youth become more aware of the benefits of environmental stewardship and safety. Since 2011, Green Shoots has benefited thousands of children in primary schools largely in Asia, including China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
In 2019, Otis employees in Korea spent a day at a child-care center in Seoul, repairing floors, refreshing wallpaper and replacing old lockers. They also used the opportunity to tutor the children on elevator and escalator safety. In Thailand, Otis volunteers delivered water dispensers, ceiling fans and other supplies to a rural school in Lopburi province that serves 700 children in need.
Bringing joy to sick children
Our employees in Spain have partnered with the Theodora Foundation to brighten the lives of children undergoing treatment in hospitals and specialized care centers across the country.
Volunteers dress as clowns as they mingle with the children, eliciting peals of laughter. Our “United for One More Smile!” campaign was recognized by Premios Empresa Social (Social Company Awards), sponsored by Fundación Gala, a nonprofit that promotes corporate social responsibility. Founded in 1993, the Theodora Foundation aims “to bring laughter and joy” to children in hospitals and special care centers by organizing visits by volunteers trained to entertain them.
In all seasons and cities, Special Olympians win big
Otis employees have long been enthusiastic supporters of the Special Olympics and its mission: To provide year-round sports training for children and adults with intellectual disabilities – and the chance to experience all the joys associated with being a Special Olympics athlete. Thousands of our employees have volunteered at events around the world, from Tokyo and Sydney to Paris, Madrid and in the United States. Others have helped coach athletes in the full range of winter and summer sports, from alpine skiing and snowboarding to race walking, basketball and soccer. Many more have raised critically needed funds through annual walk and run events.
In February 2020, Otis employees helped kick off the Winter Games in Connecticut – something they have been doing for more than 20 years.
We are better together
We are a community of 71,000 colleagues. By geography, race, gender or any other dimension you would look at, our workforce reflects the diversity of our customer base and the markets in which we operate. That’s a compelling reason to subscribe to the notion that the “best idea wins,” regardless of its point of origin. The combined engagement and ideation of our diverse community are a powerful force. At Otis, our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) play a valuable role in helping us attract, retain and develop this diverse community.
These employee-led groups provide mentoring, mutual support and more, based on the unique interests and needs of their membership. They are important communities within our larger organization. An estimated 2,000 Otis employees around the world participate in ERG activities. FORWARD, for example, supports women working as field professionals, offering mentoring and apprentice programs in what has traditionally been a male-dominated profession. Open to both women and men, FORWARD membership has grown to more than 500 since it was established in 2016. Other ERGs include HOLA (Hispanic Organization for Leadership and Advancement); PRIDE (LGBTQ+ community);
WAVE (Asian & Pacific Islander professionals and allies); Momentum (focus on African Americans); WIN and WIF (supporting women); Abilities (focus on people with disabilities); and Elevet (focus on veterans).
