There’s no understating the importance of volunteerism and giving back to the communities where we work and live – from helping foster relationships to developing future leaders, driving economic growth, and more. Through our global cause initiative, HARMAN Inspired, our employees participate in a variety of activities that focus on issues that are meaningful to our organization and to the communities in which we operate.
In honor of National Nonprofit Day on August 17th, we wanted to take a closer look at some of our longstanding initiatives and talk about the partners we collaborate with to improve access to music education, science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) programs, and more:
Tech for Good
As the global leader in connected technologies for the home, in the car, and on the go, we believe that all young people should have the opportunity to learn a robust set of STEAM skills to succeed. Together with our nonprofit partners, we’re helping provide hands-on learning experiences for children and funding for students pursuing their STEAM-career dreams in several ways, including our new strategic partnership with Girls Who Code and our support of Technovation, which both help foster a passion for computer science among girls and young women.
Despite recent progress, women are still underrepresented in STEAM fields. HARMAN is dedicated to helping close the gender gap in several ways, including the New Face of Tech Scholarship program with our partners at the 1,000 Dreams Fund. Since the inaugural New Face of Tech scholarship in 2016, more than $16,000 in scholarships have been granted out to young women in tech across the U.S. Last year, we also worked with the 1,000 Dreams Fund to debut our JBL Quantum Changemakers Challenge, designed to help amplify the voices and jumpstart the careers of women in esports.
Music for Good
With our rich history in music innovation, we’re dedicated to bringing the benefits of music and music education to communities in new ways. Music is a powerful and emotional force; it fosters creativity, curiosity and learning, encourages patience and empathy, and even has the power to act as a social catalyst for positive change. Through HARMAN Inspired, we’re bringing music education and resources to students of all ages with partner organizations like the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation and Little Kids Rock, which provides free instruments, lessons, online resources, performance experiences, and more to over half a million students in nearly 3,000 schools across the U.S.
Each year on June 21st our employees around the world come together to celebrate and share the power of making music with their communities for Make Music Day. This year marked the return of our popular Street Studios in 11 cities across the globe: mobile recording studios manned by local DJs and producers where passersby can join in and contributed to an improvised music creation session – and discover their own musical talents! And from Novi to Bangalore, many HARMAN locations also held special Make Music Day events where employee bands and friends of HARMAN shared their love of music. Many others shared their artistry and contributed special private performances in honor of Make Music Day.
Service for Good
HARMAN employees are also passionate about supporting their communities through individual and team activities. Throughout the year, team members have the opportunity to participate in “Signature Days” that authentically leverage their interests and passions through hands-on service. For example, earlier this year in Stamford, CT, our employees volunteered with SoundWaters, a nonprofit focused on protecting the Long Island Sound region, to collect and clean up more than 70 pounds of trash and debris at a local beach. Our employees around the world are also encouraged to participate in our Charity Miles program, where they can raise funds for a charity of their choice with every step they take or mile they cycle.
In recognition of Earth Month each year, HARMAN organizes a global electronic/e-waste recycling drive to reduce the amount of waste headed to landfills and prevent the environmental pollution caused by the toxins from the breakdown of electronics. In 2022, our teams collected more than 3,500 units and over 1.5 tons of electronic items – all which avoided filling up landfills.
For more than 75 years, HARMAN has remained committed to delivering superior consumer experiences – and this expands beyond our connected technology products and solutions. By supporting our local communities throughout the year, we’re continuing to empower each generation to realize their potential through the power of music, technology, and service. To learn more about our HARMAN Inspired activities, visit: https://www.harman.com/inspired