Global Philanthropy is a key component in our firm's Corporate Social Responsibility mandate where our strategy and efforts include charitable giving, environment and community relations, government affairs and public policy but above all to be a committed socially responsible corporate citizen in everything we do.

Across our Asia Pacific operations, we have country philanthropy committees with representation across our line of businesses. We share a common philosophy of grant-making in our mission of:

We support our communities with philanthropic grants so that we can LIVE [enable] LEARN [understand] and THRIVE [inspire]... in safe, decent housing; have access to quality education - breaking the back of poverty with an appreciation of the arts... encouraging diversity of thought.

We want to build vibrant communities across the globe where we do business that benefit not only people today but for generations to come. We wish residents of our communities to be able to work, to become self sustaining, to have better prospects so that they can raise their families, so that we can live and contribute to sustaining a 21st century economy and have an appreciation of our environment.

In Asia Pacific, our strategic partnerships with non-profits target service, programs and projects which address critical needs such as affordable housing, childcare for low-income families, education, literacy, language and after school academic programs and much more.

Globally, in 2006 JPMorgan contributed more than US$110 million in the communities we serve by supporting in excess of 2,800 nonprofit groups around the world.

In addition to the direct financial support we give, we continue to encourage our employees to volunteer and take an active role in their community. In the past and moving forward, hundreds of our employees, and thousands across our network of businesses are involved with community groups. If we put a value on our employees' volunteerism, the money we give would pale in comparison.

Later in July, in Hong Kong we will have formal volunteerism projects which include an Arts project at Po Leung Kuk and 2 Reading Circles at Yan Oi Tong.

During a language workshop 'Page to Stage' we recently hosted, following our sponsorship of Twelve Nights in Hong Kong in March 2007, a 12 year old girl said during the Q&A session that 'When I grow up, I would like to work at JPMorgan Bank…'. We asked her 'why' afterwards and she simply answered, 'That's because I want to do what you [JPMorgan] do in allowing us [500+ students] to come to a theatre, to see a play and to meet with actors… otherwise we would never have the opportunity'.

Philanthropy is not an act - it is a habit and as we develop signature giving programs and projects - it makes us thought leaders - leadership qualities which can cross borders without boundaries to share among all people.

Together with our communities, we are '…Chasing our dreams…'

For more information about JPMorgan's Sustainability & the Environment programmes, click here.