Aluminum maker Alcoa and its charitable foundation have announced 2012 grants totaling more than $40 million, a year-over-year increase of $2 million.

During 2012, the company awarded $18 million in support of projects and partnerships with nonprofit and nongovernmental organizations around the world, while the Alcoa Foundation awarded $21.5 million in support of efforts to enhance the environment, educate tomorrow's workforce for careers in advanced manufacturing and engineering, and strengthen communities where the company operates. In Brazil, for example, the Instituto Alcoa distributed $1.5 million for programs that meet the needs of people and communities located near the company's operations.

In addition, the company helped fund programs that target diverse populations, particularly in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education and workforce development. In 2012, its diversity grantmaking included investments in the National Society of Black Engineers, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, and the Society of Women Engineers. Alcoa employees also provided 800,000 hours of volunteer time valued at $29 million in 2012.

The grants and volunteering figures were announced in conjunction with International Corporate Philanthropy Day, which celebrates business-community partnerships around the world. "International Corporate Philanthropy Day is a great way to celebrate the breadth of work that corporations do around the world and, for Alcoa, highlight our regional efforts that serve diverse individuals, from women and girls in Canada to people with disabilities in Brazil to minorities in the U.S," said Alcoa Foundation president Paula Davis. "While diversity is defined differently across geographic regions, our goals are the same — to prepare the next generation of leaders for prosperous and satisfying careers in STEM and manufacturing."