Aon has so much in common with Manchester United. They share not only our ambitions to be global in nature; they also share our values, especially service, teamwork, integrity and achieving winning results — the essence of what it means to be Aon.
Throughout our existence as a global firm, Aon has always taken seriously its role as a good corporate citizen. We seek to invest our human, intellectual and financial resources for the betterment of our communities and our 37,000 global colleagues who do business in over 120 countries take on that role quite seriously.
Making a positive difference
Each year, Aon employees devote thousands of hours and significant financial resources to make a positive difference that will benefit generations to come. While these efforts take many forms — from raising funds for sick children, to repairing school houses and launching recycling programs — they all reflect Aon's long-standing commitment to service and a firm-wide culture of giving back.
Our recent announcement about the 2009 Volunteer Service Awards, and the launch of our initiative giving every Aon colleague an additional personal day in 2009 to be used for community service, are just two significant examples of our desire to make a difference in the world around us.
Enriching our society
In the US, the Aon Foundation focuses on promoting access to and excellence in education. We invest in programs that make a marked difference in the academic achievement of young people and help to develop our future workforce.
The Foundation also supports the enrichment of our society through arts and cultural programs and community and human service projects that serve diverse communities, with emphasis on organizations that foster the development of at-risk youth.
Using passion to effect change
Similarly, the Manchester United Foundation uses the world's passion for football and for the club to educate, motivate and inspire young people to build a better life for themselves and improve the communities they live in. The Foundation delivers football coaching, skills training, personal development and life changing experiences, providing young people with opportunities to change their lives for the better.
United for UNICEF
In 1999, the Manchester Football Club established United for UNICEF, an international charity partnership between Manchester United and UNICEF. It has since had a positive impact on the lives of over 1.5 million children in countries across the globe. The projects supported have included work with children affected by emergencies like the Tsunami and those living in poverty, often with no access to education and at risk from exploitation.
There is no other sport that teaches young people the principles of teamwork and striving for excellence as much as football, and there is no other sports organization in the world that teaches the values of UNICEF as well as Manchester United does.
Together, Aon and Manchester United can leverage our collective talent and resources through our community involvement programs and charitable initiatives to facilitate meaningful change in our world.
