21 years of community service: Novartis takes part in annual Community Partnership Day in Canada

• Novartis global initiative celebrates company's founding in 1996 by providing a wide variety of support for local communities around the world

DORVAL, QC, May 11, 2017 /CNW/ - More than 300 Novartis associates across Canada are joining their colleagues from around the world in stepping out into their neighbourhoods to provide volunteer help to a wide variety of social causes as part of the company's 21st Community Partnership Day.

The event is as old as the company itself and is held annually to mark its founding in 1996. This year, more than 24,500 associates in 52 countries will take part in a wide range of activities. In Canada, associates from the Pharmaceuticals and Oncology teams based in Dorval and Sandoz Canada colleagues in Boucherville along with Alcon Canada Mississauga, Ontario colleagues will be taking part in the annual event.

"Community Partnership Day is an important day for each one of us at Novartis. The event allows us to contribute to some of the many vital community organizations and causes that form such an important part of our social fabric," said Janice Murray, President, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. "We encourage volunteer activities with all our associates and are very gratified to know that many of them go above and beyond by taking part in more volunteer work in their communities throughout the year."

That sentiment is backed up by Kathleen Greenfield, Coordinator of Community Relations for Volunteer West Island (VWI) which helps Novartis organize the day for Dorval-based associates through the VWI Corporate Volunteer Program. "We know Novartis employees often return on their own or through our volunteer recruitment programs for individuals or youth, to volunteer with the groups they first get to know through Community Partnership Day and they also encourage their friends and even their children," she said. "It's great to see how this day benefits so many people in so many ways throughout the year. The groups are always eager to welcome back the teams from Novartis and are very appreciative."

For this year's Community Partnership Day, about 120 Dorval-based associates will be giving their time to nine different community groups from Hudson to downtown Montreal. They will pack food at a food bank, clean buildings, wash windows, garden, paint, and help prepare and serve meals. They will also be collecting used printer cartridges and phones to finance guide dogs for the MIRA Foundation, toiletries and other items for elderly residents of the Centre Hébergement Denis-Benjamin Viger, and prom dresses and accessories for underprivileged high school seniors for the group Fées Marraines.

About 80 Alcon associates in Mississauga will be doing volunteer work with five different community groups and will be collecting items for New Circle, which also provides complete prom outfits to high school graduates, as well as for the Readasaurus Kit, CNIB's early literacy kit for families of kids with vision loss.

In Boucherville, nearly 100 Sandoz Canada associates will be volunteering at three organizations on May 11, La Croisée de Longueuil, the Moisson Rive-Sud food bank and Colonie des Grèves de Contrecoeur.

About Novartis in Canada
Novartis has 1,800 associates across Canada providing innovative healthcare solutions to Canadians through its three divisions: Innovative Medicines (pharmaceutical and oncology), Alcon Canada (eye care) and Sandoz Canada (generic medicines, specialty products, biosimilars and consumer products). Novartis invested $49 million in research and development in Canada in 2016. For further information, please consult www.novartis.ca, www.alcon.ca and www.sandoz.ca.

About Novartis
Novartis provides innovative healthcare solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis offers a diversified portfolio to best meet these needs: innovative medicines, cost-saving generic and biosimilar pharmaceuticals and eye care. Novartis has leading positions globally in each of these areas. In 2016, the Group achieved net sales of USD 48.5 billion, while R&D throughout the Group amounted to approximately USD 9.0 billion. Novartis Group companies employ approximately 118,000 full-time-equivalent associates. Novartis products are sold in approximately 155 countries around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.novartis.com.

SOURCE Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc.

Novartis Media Relations, Katrina Lucking, Novartis Corporate Communications, [phone], E-mail: [email protected]; Spectrum Advisors, [phone], [email protected]