ESG at Otis | Made to Move Communities
Made to Move Communities™
Inspiring and supporting young innovators as they pursue inclusive mobility solutions for underrepresented communities
As the company that is Made to Move You™,
mobility is central to our vision: to give people freedom to connect and thrive in a taller, faster, smarter world.
Through this novel program, launched in 2020, we are engaging young minds to imagine new mobility solutions for people everywhere. Just as important, by giving these students safe, hands-on experiences under the mentorship of our experts, we aim to spark an early, lifelong interest in STEM – science, technology, engineering and math.
With a solid grounding in STEM subjects, students will be better prepared for the rapidly evolving global workforce, which is estimated to have as many as 50 million unfilled STEM jobs by 20301.
750+
Student participants
800+
Otis mentor volunteers
70+
Financial grants awarded
Year 4: Solutions to Expand Access to Green Space to Advance Wellbeing for All
In this era of urbanization, there's an urgency to preserve and provide green spaces for the benefit of global public health. However, physical, geographical and socioeconomic barriers prevent residents from equally accessing and enjoying the full benefits of these recreational spaces. For the fourth year of our Made to Move Communities™ program Otis colleagues will mentor 250+ students from around the world in researching this inclusive mobility challenge and designing innovative solutions to improve the health and wellbeing of local communities. Watch the video to learn more.
Year 4 student teams and their solutions
Bloomfield High School, Bloomfied (CT), United States
Developed a bus designed to connect plants and people by being a portable space where anyone can spend some quality time with nature and even learn new ways to interact with it.
Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
Created a carbon cycle within a viaduct itself, using green design and IoT sensors, to make better use of the space under the viaduct and reduce pollution.
Kaetsu Ariake High School, Tokyo, Japan
Designed “GreeNomad” which is a bus with a green space onboard. It departs from a park and heads towards another, providing convenient access to green spaces, especially for residents who are distant from parks.
Colexio Hogar Afundación, Vigo, Spain
Developed platforms and ramp elevators that move through a park autonomously to bridge level differences making the space safer and easier for individuals with disabilities to enjoy.
Wilson High School, Florence (SC), United States
Renovated existing bus stops into “Green Stops” to mimic green spaces while making them welcoming and beneficial to the public, especially for individuals with disabilities.
China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, China
Created a walking assist exoskeleton to help individuals with weak lower limbs enjoy the health benefits of walking to and through green spaces.
Bharat Mata English Medium Higher Secondary School, Bilaspur, India
Designed the “Go-Green” app, which is an integrated solution for helping community members identify nearby greenspaces based on their needs and preferences, as well as secure transportation to their selection.
Sharjah Indian School, Sharjah, UAE
Developed “Eco Wheels,” a bus outfitted with greenery offering passengers daily doses of greenery while commuting for their daily activities.
Escuela Técnica Superior de Maldonado, Maldonado, Uruguay
Created an inclusive bridge at a local park which will allow individuals with disabilities to access and move through the park with ease.
Mentara Intercultural School Grand Surya, Jakarta, Indonesia
Integrated reminders into public transportation service apps to motivate people to visit green spaces more often.
American Collegiate Institute, Izmir, Turkey
Designed a virtual reality interface which allows remote access to green spaces, giving individuals with disabilities or limited mobility the chance to benefit virtually from green spaces.
Paul Duke High School, Atlanta (GA), United States
Developed an app to help transport people via local bus routes to nearby green spaces. The app also encourages users to reap the wellbeing benefits of personal plant care.
Meet our mentors
Learn more about how our colleague mentors are advancing inclusive mobility and empowering the STEM workforce of the future.
Miguel (Americas)
Miguel, a Branch Manager in Uruguay, served as a mentor for the Made to Move Communities program for the student team at Escuela Técnica Superior de Maldonado, a school he formerly attended as a student.
The experience as a volunteer mentor has been very rewarding, as the connection between Otis and the school is strong for me. My employer and my alma matter are two of the most formative places that have helped shape me as a professional and as a person.
Jessica (APAC)
Jessica, a Talent Acquisition Specialist in Korea, has always been interested in volunteering and was thrilled to join the Made to Move Communities program as a mentor to guide the students in developing mobility solutions.
Participating in the challenge allowed me to engage in activities outside of my usual work duties, which I found fascinating. It was gratifying to do something that helped the community and meeting the students every week was something I really enjoyed.
Wuchang (China)
Wuchang, a Senior Quality & Field Engineer in China, has a great passion for supporting STEM education. He has participated in the Made to Move Communities challenge for the last three years.
“I’ve met a group of enthusiastic students who are bursting with new ideas to increase access to green space to advance wellbeing. The whole process of working together has made us more positive, proactive and innovative. I’ve enjoyed the time and am proud of being a mentor, which are unforgettable and valuable memories for both students and mentors.”
Filippos (EMEA)
Filippos is a service project engineer in Greece and a mentor for the students at Lykeio Irakleiou Attikis school through the Made to Move Communities program. He chose to volunteer as a mentor to help students create innovative inclusive mobility solutions to increase access to green space to improve wellbeing.
Engaging in the challenge provides not only an opportunity to give back to the community but also a chance for personal and professional growth.
Mobility Solutions to Reduce the Impacts of Climate Change
Today, more than ever, climate change poses a significant threat to the safety, prosperity and wellbeing of people and communities around the world. For the third year of Made to Move Communities, we empowered the next generation of innovators to be a part of the solution. Otis colleagues mentored 230+ students across the globe to develop solutions to the climate change issues impacting mobility today for the benefit of generations to come. Watch the video to learn more.
Mobility Solutions for Older Populations
The number of older adults is projected to double to 1.5 billion in 20502. For the second year of Made to Move Communities, we tapped young minds and applied creative thinking to help cities of the future adapt and meet the needs of this growing population. Across 14 countries and territories, teams of Otis employee mentors and students created STEM-based mobility solutions ranging from connected wheelchairs and smart escalators to a device improving access to local water stations. Watch the video to learn more.
Mobility Solutions to COVID-19
In its first year, Made to Move Communities engaged schools in Brazil, China, Germany, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, Russia, Spain, the United States and Singapore. Under the mentorship of Otis employees, nearly 100 students spent eight weeks developing STEM-based solutions to address mobility challenges in their communities – particularly those most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Watch the video to learn more about Year 1 of Made to Move Communities and see the student solutions.
Our Winners
Why Made to Move Communities
Inspiring STEM-based mobility solutions
Made to Move Communities, the cornerstone of our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy, focuses on two issues that are vital both to Otis and to the communities where we live and work: STEM education and inclusive mobility.
This annual challenge will inspire students from around the world to come up with creative, technology-based solutions for eliminating the physical, geographic and financial barriers to mobility that often afflict our neighbors.
Inclusive mobility and well-being
At Otis, we know just how important mobility is to people’s well-being and their ability to lead healthy, productive lives. Few companies have played a greater role in creating today’s connected urban world, and our innovations continue to transform how people live and work.
Yet even today, many people lack access to reliable, affordable, convenient means for getting where they need to go, whether it’s school, work, the market or to receive medical care.
We believe new technologies such as artificial intelligence, advanced robotics and other smart, connected devices and networks hold the potential to address these challenges and deliver on the promise of inclusive mobility – for everyone, everywhere.
By participating in Made to Move Communities, students will get a glimpse into this exciting future – and be encouraged to play a role in shaping the world we live in today and forgenerations to come.
Preparing the 21st century workforce
50 million STEM jobs unfilled by 2030 due to skills gap
In the era of Industry 4.0, technology permeates every job category, including manufacturing and many other trades. To prepare themselves for this rapidly evolving workplace, students need a solid grounding in STEM curricula and subjects – science, technology, engineering and math.
Yet according to one estimate, a skills gap may leave as many as 50 million jobs unfilled globally by 2030.1 Made to Move Communities is one way to help close this gap, by complementing existing school programs with safe, real-world lessons conducted under the guidance of Otis experts – people who are passionate about technology and helping to nurture the next generation of innovators.
2 https://news.microsoft.com/en-xm/2019/04/12/making-an-impact-for-stem-education-in-europe/
Communitas Award Recipient
In its inaugural year, Made to Move Communities received the Communitas Award for Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility.The Otis program was specifically recognized in the “Making A Difference Category,” which highlights those striving to impact positive change on people and communities.
The Communitas Awards is an international effort to recognize exceptional businesses, organizations, and individuals who are unselfishly giving of themselves and their resources, and those who are changing how they do business to benefit their communities. Nominees are evaluated on the extent and effectiveness of their efforts. To learn more about the award, visit www.communitasawards.com/background.
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