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Once a month, Dave Dorsey leaves his job as an account executive at the SAS Institute in Cary, NC, where he markets computer programs worth hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, to handle a decidedly nonglamorous chore. For several hours, he hand-washes dirty meal trays used by homeless people visiting the Shepherd's Table Soup Kitchen in Raleigh. Although the unpaid work brings scant recognition, the Cincinnati, Ohio, native feels good about it. One reason is that it relieves others from a time-consuming but necessary duty and thereby makes their own work a little easier. "Another is that SAS, which creates business intelligence software, gives us time off and actively encourages us to do community service," Dorsey says. "This shows that it cares about both us and the community at the same time."

SAS's substantial contributions, which range from grants to support computer training in schools to soccer fields and public art, are not alone. Just about all North Carolina biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and related companies feel strong commitments to employees, their region, and the wider world. Describing all their voluntary activities in detail would require a thick book.

"North Carolina's biotechnology community is exceptionally close-knit, which fosters a spirit of involvement, cooperation, and civic duty," says Barry Teater, the North Carolina Biotechnology Center's corporate communications director. "Executives are eager to contribute to the greater good. That's always been the North Carolina way." Treating employees well is a given at virtually all such companies, Teater adds.

"Bioscience executives in North Carolina understand that their company's single greatest asset - intellectual capital - walks out of the building every night, so they place a premium on ensuring that those employees show up the next day energetic and motivated," Teater says. "Happy employees are more dedicated, innovative, and productive. This helps explain why the Research Triangle has ranked number one in the nation in both 'human capital' and 'biotech workforce.'"

Dennis Rondinelli, Glaxo Distinguished International Professor of Management Emeritus at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill, who now works at Duke University, agrees. North Carolina corporations play major roles in boosting education, nonprofit organizations' charitable activities, and services to help disadvantaged groups, he says.

"Activities of the GlaxoSmithKline Foundation and Glaxo's giving programs are good examples," Rondinelli says. "GSK makes a strong contribution by supporting Research Triangle area public schools with science-teaching initiatives and promoting teacher excellence. By providing scholarships, GSK also has helped children from families with limited incomes go to college." Among such efforts, the corporation recognizes achievement with numerous awards and helps Triangle universities develop science and health research. GSK also endows professorships in health sciences as well as other fields, Rondinelli says. For instance, Glaxo endowed the international management chair that Rondinelli held at UNC to increase business students' knowledge about global business practices.

COURTESY OF LABCORP

The Burlington-based Laboratory Corporation of America (LabCorp), employs 25,000 people across the nation, including 5,000 in North Carolina. "As a leader in DNA testing and one of the world's largest clinical laboratories, LabCorp was called to action within 24 hours of Sept. 11, 2001, to aid in the international effort to help the families of victims identify their loved ones," says Pam Sherry, senior vice president for corporate communications. "Using its national network of more than 1,200 specimen-collection centers, LabCorp provided free DNA swab-sample collections throughout the country and forwarded them for testing."

LabCorp's "World Trade Center Hotline" operated for more than a year following the tragedy, and the corporation processed more than 1,200 DNA collections, including many from foreign countries, Sherry notes. It was one of the few companies granted FAA permission to fly within 24 hours of the disaster, and its four aircraft ferried specimens across the country, including those of competitors.

"In late 2006, LabCorp made a generous in-kind donation of three Guava EasyCD4 testing machines to AIDS Healthcare Foundation clinics in Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Swaziland," Sherry says. "This international organization's mission is to provide cutting-edge medicine and advocacy to people living with HIV/AIDS, regardless of their ability to pay. The compact machines' small size, dependability, and operating efficiency make it possible to deliver quality laboratory services to truly remote locations, bringing more people into treatment."

Dave Dorsey gives back to the community - doing dishes at Shepherds Table soup kitchen. COURTESY OF JAMIE FUTRELL, SAS

Syngenta is the world's largest company focused on agribusiness. Besides stock-purchase plans and learning programs for personal and professional development, the company in Greensboro supports education in agricultural science, schools, science fairs, food banks, and beautification projects. For employees and others Syngenta has provided recognition programs, awards, summer internships, matching contributions to the United Way, Hurricane Katrina relief, made donations to canned food and blood drives, provided Thanksgiving meals to poor families, and given various forms of assistance to urban ministries, and recycling programs.

Most high-tech companies in North Carolina, including Gilead Sciences, Inspire Pharmaceuticals, Novozymes, Syngenta, and Targacept emphasize keeping employees healthy and have made strong commitments in that direction. They have won a raft of awards for those and other employee- and community-oriented initiatives.

Oren Cohen, chief medical and scientific officer of Quintiles Transnational, says that following CEO Cancer Gold Standard requirements has served as a launching pad for a complete wellness program. To reduce time and cost barriers to healthier lifestyles, the company has established on-site fitness centers, offered fitness club-membership reimbursements, and on-site Weight Watcher programs. Quintiles also created customized Web sites to offer remotely located employees and their families access to personal trainers and nutritionists. "This is a wonderful opportunity to give people encouragement and the tools they need to be physically active, and makes us a 'best place to work,'" Cohen says. "Also, encouraging healthy lifestyles reduces skyrocketing healthcare costs, plain and simple.

"If we prevent a handful of cases of diabetes and detect an early case of cancer every year, we've made a huge impact at personal, community, and even financial levels," Cohen says.