Community engagement

Giving

We actively seek partnerships with organizations that align with our mission to make healthcare better and support philanthropic initiatives around the world and in our local communities. Stryker determines philanthropic support based on community needs and the desire to create equity for underserved populations — from humanitarian aid to healthcare access and other charitable assistance. Our giving and volunteering strategy aims to advance healthcare, support education and strengthen community vitality.

In 2020, our giving strategy became reflective of our commitments aligned with our DE&I strategy. Our Kalamazoo headquarters donated to several new nonprofits representing marginalized communities. Stryker donated $55 million worth of financial and product support in 2020: $47 million in product donations and $8 million in monetary support.

Following are examples of ongoing programs* that help to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all:

• Our partnership with the Foundation of Orthopedics and Complex Spine (FOCOS) in Ghana provides product donations to FOCOS Orthopedic Hospital.
• Our Orthopaedics group has supported Operation Walk since 1996 through giving and volunteering, including product donations.
• Our South Pacific team provides humanitarian assistance to the Thi Nghe Orphanage and supports the establishment and ongoing operation of the House of Ket Noi Yeu Thuong through the Vietnam exCHANGE program.

In 2020, Operation Smile suspended large-scale medical missions to safeguard the health of volunteers and patients. While volunteer opportunities were paused amidst global lockdowns, we continued to support Operation Smile’s programs through cash and in-kind donations. To date, Operation Smile has resumed patient care in over 24 countries that were deemed safe and with PPE and COVID-19 testing protocols to ensure continued safety. Further, the education and training programs we support build surgical capacity in under-resourced countries and serve to advance our sustainable development goals.

Our partnership with Operation Smile engages our employees worldwide in the goal of providing lifechanging surgery and care to people living in resource-limited settings. The 2019-2020 Smile Match campaign exceeded its fundraising goal in just four months and reached more Stryker employees than any campaign push in previous years, ultimately funding over 900 life-changing surgeries. The 2020-2021 Smile Match campaign was launched with our dollar-for-dollar match on Giving Tuesday, December 1, 2020. Our Stryker Smiles online giving platform is available year-round.