The Akamai Foundation Continues to Give Back and Amplify Impact
As the Executive Director of the Akamai Foundation, I am thrilled to share our 2023 Annual Report. This report details our progress throughout 2023, as we built upon our mission to provide science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education opportunities to all, and as our employees continued to embrace Akamai’s core value of giving back via in person and virtual volunteering.
This year we nurtured and grew our connections with global partners and grantees via our employee resource group Community Collaboration Program, the sharing of educational resources, coming together to complete community projects, and more. We recognize that though our communities may be physically dispersed, we are all there to support one another and we are stronger together.
Driving our mission of STEM education access
In 2023, the Akamai Foundation continued to partner with organizations that build an inclusive workplace environment and support historically underrepresented communities. Last year, the Akamai Foundation partnered with more than 50 global STEM organizations, awarding a total of more than U.S. $1.4 million to help nurture early learner STEM advancement.
Whether it was helping to fund a career leadership program at Tech Kids Unlimited or sponsoring ChickTech’s first in-person hackathon, organized and co-led by members of the student leadership committee, the Akamai Foundation was proud to support its amazing partner organizations.
In addition to our support of early learners and next-generation innovators, the Akamai Foundation continued its Empower STEM Grant Program in 2023. This program fosters diversity in tech by empowering underrepresented populations in college, tech career pathways, and technological entrepreneurship opportunities. The Akamai Foundation awarded approximately U.S. $1 million in 2023 Empower grants to organizations such as Women Who Code, and the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) and NPower.
Supporting one another and our communities
In 2023, I was inspired by the drive and passion of our employees as they joined together to give back, regardless of location. Our employee matching gift program awarded US $450,000 through our global giving platform as Akamai colleagues united to support a broad range of social issues, global disaster relief efforts, and humanitarian aid opportunities.
For example, in September and October 2023, Akamai team members participated in 113 volunteer events across 27 countries as part of Akamai’s Danny Lewin Community Care Days program. Employees also continued to support one another in times of unexpected hardship via the Akamai Compassion Fund. These examples showcase a key element of Akamai’s culture: uniting as “One Akamai” to take action and amplify impact.
Our impact and future opportunities
The Akamai Foundation is a key piece of Akamai’s Environmental, Social, and Governance strategy, and the annual Akamai Foundation highlights can also be found in our 2023 ESG Impact Report.
We estimate that the partnerships and programs funded by the Akamai Foundation throughout 2023 will touch more than seven million lives — and we are proud to play a part in helping Akamai’s wider purpose of making life better for billions of people, trillions of times a day.
We appreciate your support and look forward to carrying our momentum from 2023 into 2024 and beyond.
